UNITED KINGDOM / AGILITYPR.NEWS / June 01, 2020 / Unite Scotland has today (1 June) said that it will fight proposals by Charles River Laboratories to close its biologics operations in Scotland.  

The company’s operations are based across two sites in Riccarton and Tranentemploying 60 workers. The work at the sites focuses on the support of the manufacture and release to market of biopharmaceutical products. The proposal is to close the operations in stages over the next year with the company citing that Brexit has been the decisive decision to take the work outside of the UK.

Graeme Turnbull, Unite regional officer, said: “This is devasting news for the workforce based at Charles River Laboratories. Around 60 workers face losing their jobs over the next year in very challenging circumstances. The company is citing Brexit as being the decisive factor in this announcement rather than the Covid-19 pandemic so they have not listened to our pleas to furlough the workers. Unite will do all we can support the workforce through this difficult period and we will continue to challenge the company to ensure that everything possible that can be done for the workers is done.”