FEARS have been raised over the future of a biscuit factory employing hundreds of workers in Glasgow.

Union leaders have written to the bosses of the McVitie’s factory in Tollcross seeking reassurance the site will receive investment and has a long term future.

Workers and unions are concerned that funding is not being provided to modernise production lines at the 200 year old factory.

Currently 500 people still work at the site which produces some of the best-selling biscuit brands in the UK including Rich Tea and Hob Nobs.

The factory is owned by global biscuit and confectionary giant Pladis.

It remains one of the biggest employers in the east end of the city with a workforce mainly drawn from nearby communities.

GMB Senior Organiser Drew Duffy said: “The fact that we cannot get clarity from the General Site Manager over the business needs and investment plan for the future of Tollcross is deeply concerning our members.  

“Generations of families have worked here and the workforce is highly concentrated in the local community and the Greater Glasgow area, a crucial pillar of decent employment in an area of high unemployment and social deprivation.

“So from the perspective of jobs, pay and prosperity, and against the backdrop of Brexit, rising cost of living and chronic manufacturing decline, the east end desperately needs a thriving manufacturing presence at McVities.

“That’s why we are calling for clarity and reassurances, so we can understand what is needed to secure continued production and employment in the east end for years to come.”

A spokesman for Pladis said: “We had a regular meeting with employees and GMB representatives at Tollcross two months ago at which a number of issues were discussed openly.

“We discussed with employees then that like all companies operating in an extremely competitive and uncertain economic climate, we review our operations on an ongoing basis – and that applies across our all our businesses and sites – in order to remain competitive.

“In recent years, we have invested over £5 million in our Tollcross site, notably on production lines and operational improvements. We fully recognise the heritage of Tollcross as a manufacturing site and should there be any changes to our operations at the site, employees and their union representatives will be the first to know.”