Floods: Clean-up volunteers lose jobs

Shocked workers at Clarkson-Osborn International on Penistone Road only found out they were to be made redundant when they opened their pay packets and discovered a letter inside.

Today one stunned grinder at the Shalesmoor firm, which manufactures precision drills and cutting tools, said: "It's like a slap in the face. They are treating us with utter contempt.

"We have worked our socks off to help this firm get back into production, and they have got financial assistance to help pay for the clean-up.

"Now they are saying half of us can sling our hooks.

"It's a disgrace and people are very angry and very bitter indeed."

The 70-year-old Sheffield firm, which makes drills and once employed hundreds of people, stands on the banks of the River Don and was deluged by a metre of floodwater in June.

The 86-strong workforce all volunteered to carry out the major clean-up operation themselves to save the company money, and professional cleaning firms were only brought in to clean the specialist machinery. Two weeks ago 270,0000 drill blanks were stolen from the factory, so workers again volunteered to patrol the factory at night to provide extra security. But now workers have been told that, due to the effects of the flooding on business, the company needs to make cutbacks - and 45 jobs are to go. Another angry worker said today: "Everyone here is gutted. All the workers have pulled together to try to save this company money and get back into production as spoon as possible.

"We didn't wait to be asked when the floods came - we all turned up to do whatever we could to help. This is how we are thanked - with redundancy."

Three years ago the firm fought its way back from the brink after a fire raged through production lines.

Following the floods workers were told it could be two weeks before electricity supplies were restored - and bosses said they feared the company's customers may switch to alternative suppliers.

One manager described the devastation caused by the floods as being 20 times worse than that caused by the blaze.

Sheffield Attercliffe Labour MP Clive Betts warned last month that thousands of jobs in Sheffield could be at risk as the city continues to suffer the consequences of the floods.

n The final straw: P12