THE Ynys Môn Labour party is calling on the Two Sisters company to ensure that staff at plant in Llangefni do not face financial hardship because of its COVID-19 enforced closure.

The party is calling for full pay to be proved to the 560 workers affected during the two-week closure, in recognition of their sacrifices made throughout the pandemic.

The company suspended production at the poultry processing plant on Wednesday, after 61 workers initially tested positive for COVID-19.

Andy Short, Chair of Ynys Môn Labour, has urged the company to provide full pay to all its staff, who are now self-isolating to protect the wider community.

Mr Short has also written to Ken Skates, the Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales, asking for the Welsh Government's assistance in urging the Two Sisters group to pay their workers in full and to see what more can be done to help key workers in the food sector.

Speaking on behalf of Ynys Môn Labour's 500 members, he said: "The current outbreak of COVID-19 at the 2 Sisters plant in Llangefni has underlined the risks that our key workers have been taking to ensure that we are all fed.

"The closure of the plant is a necessary step to contain the virus and prevent further infection across the island.

"The staff at the plant have worked throughout the lockdown in difficult conditions and at significant risk to themselves, but many are paid a poverty wage at or just above the minimum wage.

"We have been contacted by employees at the plant and are concerned to hear that many of them will have no company sick pay and are likely to be reliant on the Government's Statutory Sick Pay of £95.85 per week.

"This hardly seems like a fair reward for their hard work throughout the last three months. Ynys Môn Labour is calling on the 2 Sisters Group to pay their staff full pay for the two-week closure in recognition of their sacrifices throughout the pandemic.

“As one of the UK’s largest food manufacturers, we feel the 2 Sisters Food Group can well afford to pay its workers in full during this layoff and during any subsequent enforced self-isolation.

"Beyond the current crisis, we need a conversation as an island about fair pay for fair work. Too many people are living on low pay and insecure contracts and this is holding our island back."