Tea workers steaming as they are told to train replacements

Staff at the 300-year-old firm are being made redundant following a decision last November to move production to Poland and China to cut down on labour costs.

All 263 manufacturing jobs will be lost at the North Shields Twinings site with a further 129 to be lost at the Andover plant by summer 2011 if current plans go ahead.

But in a move which will pit worker against worker, Polish replacements will be brought over to be trained by outgoing Twinings tea makers.

Usdaw union representative Jayne Shotton said: "The workers at Twinings had resigned themselves to the fact their jobs were going to Poland.

"But I think to bring Polish workers over here and expect them to be trained by Twinings workers who are losing their jobs is like rubbing their noses in it.

"Twinings have never consulted with us on this and I will certainly be talking to them about it."

After the plant closure was announced last year 22 MPs signed a Commons motion condemning the move.

Andover TUC secretary Derek Kotz said it was an "outrage" that Twinings bosses had instructed workers to help train replacements but was keen to point out that Polish workers should not be blamed for the situation.

"This isn't about the nationality of workers - there are plenty of foreign nationals working at Twinings," he said.

"It is about a company cynically ditching a unionised workforce to maximise its profits."

"It is also unacceptable that Twinings is seeking EU funding in order to carry out this shabby move."