Workers laid off for Christmas

More than 20 employees at Maclean Furniture Ltd in Crowhurst Road, Hollingbury, were told on Monday the factory would close temporarily with immediate effect.

The announcement came on the same day workers refused to sign a new contract, saying they had only been given two hours to read it.

The GMB trade union claimed the contract contained illegal clauses and the employees should not have been asked to sign it at such short notice.

The company was also contractually obliged to give five days' notice of any temporary lay-off, the union said.

Workers have not been paid for more than two weeks and have not been told whether their pay cheques will arrive before Christmas.

They have been told there is no prospect of work until January.

Administrators were called into the company, under its previous name William L Maclean Ltd, about two-and-a-half months ago.

Some 40 members of staff were made redundant before it was bought on October 11, by Harvitech Ltd.

Harvitech changed its name to Maclean Furniture Ltd on October 28 but letters distributed to staff yesterday, which officially notified them of the lay-off, were from Crowbury Ltd.

Edward Pearce, 62, of Hangleton Way, Hove, has been employed by the company for 32 years and worked in the factory alongside his two sons, Mark Pearce, 32 and Graham Pearce, 28.

Edward said: "I have worked very hard for this company and I am shocked by how I've been treated."

The company has produced furniture for five-star hotels and has made items for the QE2, the aircraft carrier Ark Royal and the Houses of Parliament.

GMB branch secretary Mark Turner said: "It is just not acceptable to be given two hours to look at a contract. Employees are supposed to be given about three months.

"We want to solve this amicably but we will proceed with legal proceedings if we have to."

Maclean Furniture declined to comment. Bosses were due to meet with union representatives this afternoon.