Bosses of a Bosley mill have denied claims staff facing redundancy are not being paid.
The GMB union said staff had left a meeting with the owners of Wood Treatment Ltd understanding that they would not be paid during the 30-day consultation which started on August 7.
The union then raised a grievance against the company.
The Express asked Wood Treatment Ltd to clarify its position but got no response.
Now the company has accused ‘other parties’ of ‘misinformation’ and moved to reassure the 45 or so workers facing redundancy that they will be paid.
In a statement, the owners said: “We are fully aware of our obligations to pay staff and have at no point communicated that they will not be paid.
“It has always been our intention to pay staff and we have made regular payments since the fire.
“We will continue to focus on supporting our staff through the consultation period and we ask that other parties refrain from spreading misinformation about non-payment of wages.”
Ray Carrick, regional officer for GMB, said: “GMB welcome this statement and we believe that this meets the demands we had made in our formal grievance which was submitted to the company on August 10, that staff must be paid their normal wages throughout the consultation period.
“We note with regret, however, that it has taken the company some six days to make their statement.”
Three workers died and a fourth worker is still missing following a massive explosion on July 17.
The four people missing after the blast were Derek Moore, 62, from Stoke-on-Trent, William Barks, 51, from Leek, Jason Shingler, 38, from North Rode, and Dorothy Bailey, 62, from Bosley.
Will Barks, Derek Moore and Dorothy Bailey have been identified as victims. Jason Shingler is still missing.
Wood Treatment Ltd, which is owned by the Boden Group, said it cannot reopen the factory for at least six months while police and the HSE investigate the cause of the disaster. The firm employs 50 staff, however just six roles will be retained at a cat litter processing plant on the site.
Macclesfield MP David Rutley and Cheshire East Council leader Michael Jones have preciously criticised the firm for its handling of ‘traumatised’ staff.
