Factory's 'closure' sparks protests
|Published
DEMAND: Workers in protest DEMAND: Workers in protest
Employees, some of whom have been working for decades at the Green Tissue factory in Bellville, have been protesting in front of the company’s head office in Moody Avenue, Epping, after its sudden closure, leaving them out in the cold.
A worker, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of victimisation, said the factory situated in Sacks Circle, and which supplied
toilet paper, tissues, kitchen towels and more, was suddenly closed last Monday by the sheriff of the court.
“On Monday (30 September), the sheriff of the court came to close the factory.
“I asked him if the company was under liquidation and he said no.
“The gates were shut on us just like that.
“Green Tissue was sold in November last year to the Lion Match Company (NSP Unsgaard).
“Since the closure of the company, we as workers have been left with nothing, not everyone was paid for September which is unfair,” the employee says.
Employees at the Green Tissue factory in Bellville, have been protesting in front of the company’s head office after its sudden closure. Picture supplied
About 150 workers protested outside the Epping offices on Friday demanding to speak to management.
“We want to know what is going on, we want to know if there are plans moving forward.
“They have not spoken to us or anything yet. Instead, Carol [Gerber] from human resources just looked at us through the window,” the employee says.
He says some of them have been at Green Tissue for 25 years, but have been left high and dry.
“People have been working for 25, 22, 20 years. What are we supposed to do now? Who’s going to pay us? We’ve got families to support.”
About 150 workers protested outside the Epping offices on Friday demanding to speak to management. Picture supplied
The Daily Voice contacted NSP Unsgaard and spoke to Carol who simply claimed: “Green Tissue doesn’t belong to the Lion Match Group.”
She also said a manager would get back to the Daily Voice, but by last night no contact was made.
But an employee says: “She’s lying man. It shouldn’t be Lion Match but Liar Match because that’s all they do, lie.”