Gael Force pledges Covid bonus as directors take cut
Inverness-based salmon farming supplier Gael Force Group is to give its production and distribution staff an additional payment for April because of the extra effort required to carry on working on safely during the Covid-19 epidemic.
They were also given an additional paid rest day yesterday.
Meanwhile, the company’s directors are taking a pay cut for the duration of the Covid-19 lockdown, Gael Force said in an update on its website.
‘Tough to bear’
“We know that the difficult changes our production and distribution colleagues are having to make to their daily work routines has been tough for them to bear at times – their grit and determination to work through this challenging situation has been remarkable,” stated Gael Force.
“Adapting to the new norms of social distancing and other preventative practices has been a steep learning curve for all of us. This remains a challenging period for many, however, the response from all our employees to this crisis has been exceptional,” added the company.
“We are immensely proud of all our people at Gael Force for their efforts and wish to thank everyone for their support and understanding during the difficult times we are all working through together.”
Some staff furloughed
Some of the company’s administrative staff have been furloughed, but those in production and distribution have carried on working and have had to make significant changes to their home and workplace routines to ensure Gael Force meets the government’s safety guidelines, said marketing manager Marc Wilson.
Extra duties for some now include being part of a cleaning rota to ensure extra hygiene in workplaces.
Wilson said managing director Stewart Graham had been emailing all staff daily to keep them up to date with how the epidemic was affecting the company.
Gael Force’s supply chain has been largely unimpeded so far. “It remains quite open,” said Wilson. “There have just been a few products where there has been a bit of a slowdown.”
