GlaxoSmithKline’s Montrose plant workers given ‘loyalty bonus’

Workers at GlaxoSmithKline’s Montrose manufacturing facility have been given a cash bonus to recognise their commitment to the company, according to Britain’s largest pharmaceuticals company.

The plant was said to be closing at the end of the year until Glaxo announced a 25 million pound programme to manufacture two new drug ingredients. Also, the bird-flu scare has seen temporary employment at the plant increase as it produces zanamivir, the active ingredient in the antiviral Relenza, according to the Courier.

A company spokesman told the newspaper: “It’s in recognition of the commitment of staff over the last five years. The redundancy support payment was really to keep staff engaged with the process of Glaxo taking the factory through ultimately to closure.”

The bonuses would originally have been for workers leaving the factory when it was due to close, but the change of circumstances have meant that they have been relabelled as a “re-engagement bonuses”.

He said that it was in the interests of settling the workforce and that the bonuses would be performance-related with additional factors such as attendance and the delivery of objectives.

Glaxo employs over 100,000 people in 116 countries and is currently developing two avian flu vaccines. It claims to search 65 million compounds every year in the search for new drugs.

© Adfero Ltd