Dozens of jobs under threat at firm

Seventy jobs are at risk at a firm that makes pre-fabricated buildings.

Caledonian Modular, based at Carlton-on-Trent, employs around 170 people.

The company has launched a period of consultation over the proposed redundancies.

It comes eight months after the firm announced it was taking on 100 people after landing a £50m contract.

The contract involved building 1,500 accommodation modules for a hotel-type project that would be home for 6½ years to workers building the Hinkley Point C power station, in Somerset, for EDF Energy.

Mr Andy Shaw, regional officer for Unite the Union in Nottingham, met representatives from Caledonian Modular on December 21.

He said: “They have begun a period of consultation with us.

“At the moment we are looking at the headlines and trying to come up with some way of reducing the number [of people at risk].”

Mr Shaw said he did not yet know what areas of the business would be at risk.

“The meeting I had was just literally confirming the redundancies and looking at what we are going to do to try and limit that amount.”

'Considerable percentage of jobs at risk'

Mr Shaw said he understood from the conversations he had with the firm that it currently employed 170 people.

“It is a considerable percentage of jobs that are at risk,” he said.

“We want to explore ways we can reduce the total number of redundancies.

“We are going to need discussions and negotiations in terms of how we are going to manage that, identify the areas and which roles are affected in each area.

“It is a case of talking to the people we represent and ensuring they are well represented in the consultations.”

Mr Shaw said it was disappointing after the company announced such a big contract earlier in the year.

“There is never a good time when you are faced with redundancy,” he said.

Mr Shaw said the company had also expressed disappointment and reported some gaps between contracts ending and new contracts beginning.

He said he was pushing for them to consider alternative roles for any employees made redundant.

The Advertiser contacted Caledonian Modular before Christmas but no one was available for comment.

When contacted after Christmas, a recorded telephone message said the office was closed until January 2.