A second employee at a UK salad plant owned by private-label major Bakkavor has died after contracting Covid-19.
A statement sent by the company to UK broadcaster the BBC confirmed the death at the Bakkavor Tilmanstone Salads facility in Kent, south of London.
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“This member of staff had been away from the workplace since 11 November and reported in for sick leave following a period of annual leave,” the statement said.
It is the second fatality amongst workers at the plant announced this week.
On Tuesday (1 December) it was revealed a worker at the facility, which supplies Marks & Spencer, had died after testing positive for Covid-19 while scores of workers are off with the virus or self isolating.
In a statement issued today (3 December), the GMB union, which represents workers at the facility, said positive cases had “rocketed” from 35 in the third week of November to 99 now.
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By GlobalDataThe factory has 800 employees.
GMB has called for the company to offer full pay to anyone taking Covid-related absence, mass testing for staff and to perform a deep clean at the factory.
Frank Macklin, GMB organiser, said: “Sadly a second worker had died in a Covid-19 related fatality. GMB’s thoughts and sympathies are with their family and loved ones.
“Bakkavor Tilmanstone Salads had only experienced a few positive cases of covid-19 before November, but we have now seen the virus sweep through the factory at an alarming rate in just over four weeks.”
just-food has asked Bakkavor for further details.
