Just weeks before Christmas, former workers at the Orchard House Foods (OHF) factory in Gateshead don't know how they'll pay their bills or keep food on the table this winter - after a promised redundancy payment was delayed at the last minute.
In August OHF - which supplies the likes of Marks & Spencer, Morrisons and Pret A Manger - announced plans to close its Gateshead base which would put 430 jobs at risk. Though some staff had the opportunity to relocate to the midlands, hundreds have now been made redundant.
OHF had said it would pay final redundancy payments two weeks after someone's final pay packet - for many December 9 - but on Thursday evening workers received an email saying that "there will be a delay in making the payments owed to you following your redundancy". They were also told: "We are hopeful this will be resolved shortly; however I need to inform you that realistically, payments will not be made until the New Year."
