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A boss at one of the UK’s largest food supermarket suppliers has been secretly filmed telling staff they risk future redundancy if they stay at home during the coronavirus pandemic.

Sean Madden, head of operations at food manufacturing company Bakkavor, told shocked employees they would be the first in the line to leave if they didn’t go to work.

In the video, which was shared with the Guardian and ITV News, he said: ‘If we need to get rid of 200 people’s jobs next month, I’m going to look at who turned up to work and I’m going to look at who didn’t bother turning up to work.



‘The people who didn’t bother turning up to work, you know, they will be the first people that we have to get rid of, unfortunately.’


‘Work or be sacked’ warned a Sean Madden, a boss at a major UK food supplier (Picture: ITV News)

The video was filmed at the company’s Elveden plant, which is one of 25 across the country.

It supplies major supermarkets including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer and Waitrose.

The footage shows workers, seated less than the recommended two metres apart, listening to Mr Madden as he said the Covid-19 crisis was leading to a fall in orders.

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He added that workers should stay at home if they were unwell or displaying symptoms.

But some employees told the Guardian and ITV News that they still feel pressure to go into work, even if they have health conditions or relatives with coronavirus symptoms.

The company is facing calls to improve safety measures in its plants after Mr Madden told workers to use a multi-tube – a stretchy fabric scarf used in outdoor sports that can be stretched over the mouth and nose.

Bakkavor’s Elveden plant (Picture: ITV News)

It also recorded him saying proper social distancing measures were impossible in the factory.

Andre Marques, from the GMB union, which has members on the Elveden site, told MailOnline: ‘This behaviour is absolutely shocking. It is beyond unacceptable to threaten workers with the sack just for trying to keep themselves and their families safe.

‘[We are] calling for urgent action to protect the safety of workers at Bakkavor, including the immediate introduction of social distancing and proper protective equipment. A snood [multi-tube] is not proper protective equipment for a workplace.’

A statement issued by Bakkavor said despite other staff members being furloughed in other parts of the country it has no plans ‘at this time’ to furlough or make factory workers redundant at the Elveden site.

The company said: ‘The operations manager you recorded at an employee briefing confused furloughing with redundancy and comments made about these were inappropriate. We take this very seriously and are investigating the matter.

‘We apologise to our Elveden staff for any miscommunication or worry caused. The manager in question has been given leave and prior to his return to work, he will undertake further training around his role and responsibilities and the high standards we expect of a Bakkavor manager.



‘We are saddened and concerned to hear today that a few colleagues feel under pressure to come to work and we’re putting protocols in place to speak to all staff at their next shift to make it absolutely clear that no colleague should come to work if they feel unwell, are self-isolating or if a family member is unwell.’

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