Efforts to save jobs and continue trade at the Mortons Rolls factory in Drumchapel have been backed by councillors, who say news of the closure is a “devastating blow”.
Glasgow’s Green group brought an emergency motion to the city administration committee on Thursday which called on councillors to publicly support attempts to protect jobs.
They also said council officials should “continue urgent work with the Scottish Government and partner agencies to ensure all options are explored which would allow trading operations to continue”.
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An SNP amendment stated a transition to employee ownership should be considered. Both the SNP amendment and one from Labour were accepted.
News that Mortons Rolls was to cease trading broke on Friday, putting 250 jobs at the bakery at risk.
Cllr Dan Hutchison, Greens, who presented the motion, said: “I’m sure all members were as shocked as I was with the sudden announcement that Mortons Rolls was to cease trading with immediate effect.
“I know that my constituents and local businesses in my community shared an immediate state of shock and solidarity, particularly with the workers directly impacted.
“We have hundreds of workers in our city who very publicly lost their livelihood last weekend and are quite rightly concerned about their financial security.”
He added the motion was about “sharing our solidarity with the workers that are impacted” and providing officials with “a political mandate” to continue their work.
It also “sets out our belief that the workers should see a resolution as soon as possible” and the issue isn’t “kicked into the long grass”, Cllr Hutchison said.
Bailie Patricia Ferguson put forward the Labour amendment, which acknowledged “it is the workers employed by the company who are most severely impacted”.
The motion stated councillors would publicly support workers and their trade unions “in maintaining employment rights and in ensuring that statutory entitlements are protected, and realised as soon as is possible”.
Bailie Ferguson added: “As a local ward councillor, I too was shocked with the announcement made last week, and had no more knowledge of the imminent demise of the company as anyone else did.
“It has come as a real shock to everyone in the community.
She highlighted how most of the jobs at Mortons Rolls are taken up by local people. “It is a loss that the community cannot afford to have,” she said.
“There has been no opportunity for the staff to discuss with management the situation that has unfolded. Nor has it been possible for them to try to make alternative employment arrangements, or try to make any other plans for the future.
“Any support the city council can give to them at this time will be very welcome, I’m sure.”
Bailie Thomas Kerr, Conservative, said his group also supported the motion and he shared “the deep concerns that many have expressed”.
He said the closure of the McVities factory in his ward showed “what a deep impact” the demise of businesses can have on a community.
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