Staff at EV Metals Group’s Teesside operation say they fear for the future of their jobs after failing to be paid by the company’s new owners.
It is understood around 25 members of staff are based at the firm’s Billingham battery plant, all of whom expected monthly pay packets to go into their bank accounts last week. However they say they were told by management through a video meeting on Friday that they couldn’t pay the employees, while also telling them they couldn’t say when the issue would be resolved.
Frustrated staff at the plant say they have not returned to work since last week’s meeting and are “updating their CVs”, while also worrying they won’t be able to meet mortgage, rent and bill payments. EV Metals Group bosses have sought to allay workers’ fears, saying this is just a short term issue.
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Australian headquartered EV Metals Group took over the Chilton plant on Belasis Avenue – the former Johnson Matthey’s battery materials business – as part of a £50m deal last May, a few months after Johnson Matthey had told staff they planned to close the division.
EV Metals Group swooped for the Teesside site in a deal which saved around 100 technical jobs and included the battery technology centre, together with its pilot plant and research laboratories, as well as Johnson Matthey’s battery divisions in Oxford, Germany and one under construction in Poland. At the time, the new owners said they hoped to announce further recruitment after snapping up the business.
In an email sent to staff this week, seen by The Gazette, directors said they had hoped wages to be paid on Wednesday, but that “unfortunately, there has been a further delay in payments, and at this stage I cannot confirm which day this payment will be made. However, I can confirm that funds are in the banking system and being processed. I am confident that payment of your wages and pension contributions will be made in the coming days.
“I appreciate this is a very difficult situation for you, for which I apologise again. If you will suffer financial hardship because of this, please contact the HR team Immediately so we can explore the options avallable to support you.”
A member of staff, who wished to remain anonymous said: “Basically we feel that we won’t be going back. Employees here and at our Oxford site are filled with uncertainty as to how we are to not only fulfil our financial commitments this month but also our job security going forward and the prospect of unemployment. We’re all getting our CVs updated and hoping the debtors don’t come to our doors.”
A spokesman for EV Metals Group said: “The company confirms that it has experienced a short term issue resulting in delayed payments. We are urgently addressing this, expect it to be resolved very shortly and are keeping employees constantly updated.
On Friday, March 31, the company spokesman added: "The Company confirms that the issue has been resolved, and employees have received their salaries."
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