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EDITIONS
Saturday, 2 November, 2002, 09:20 GMT
Dispute workers stage factory vigil
Fineline Cymru company logo
The Rhyl firm has gone into receivership
Workers at a north Wales swimwear firm have spent a second night staging a factory sit-in as part of a dispute over unpaid wages.

Staff at Fineline Cymru in Rhyl have vowed to continue a sit-in protest at the factory after talks with their employer over money owed to them failed.

They have organised a rota to ensure the premises are not left unguarded - preventing their employer bringing in relief workers.

Worker
Thirty women launched the protest

The group locked themselves in on Thursday and stayed overnight after being told the firm was going into receivership.

Some of the workers say they have not been paid for six weeks.

On Friday morning, a GMB union official Eileen Turnbull telephoned the company's owner but the two sides have failed to reach an agreement.

Lawyers from GMB are now involved in the negotiations.

The firm, which employs 40 people, is part of a specialist leisurewear chain.

Worker Elaine Round spent all Thursday night in the factory on Cefndy Road with her colleagues.

"There were 30 of us who took part in the sit-in - some have children and had to go home," she said.

"It all started when a fax was sent saying that the company was going to be put into receivership.

"Us monthly staff haven't been paid for five weeks, and the weekly staff are going into their second week without money."

The staff mounted their protest after they claimed their employer said he wanted to make part of the workforce redundant without paying them severance pay.

Further action

Ms Round said they have had a lot of support from the local community.

"We've had food parcels sent to us from the shops in the area," she said.

"We had to launch the sit-in, myself and my friend Iris sat in the office waiting for the phones to ring.

"The other girls sat in the canteen where there's tea and coffee at hand," she said.

Local MP Chris Bryant andGMB union official have been holding talks at the factory.


More from north east Wales
See also:

24 Jul 02 | Wales
27 Feb 02 | Wales
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