HUNDREDS of Morrisons bakers are being made redundant as a result of asset-stripping by the supermarket’s private equity owners, BFAWU said today.

The retailer has announced it will close its Rathbones site in Wakefield and make redundant 400 workers, many of whom have worked there for 20 years.

Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) general secretary Sarah Woolley said: “Since Morrisons were bought out by Clayton Dubilier & Rice in 2021 we have seen the traditional cycle of private equity firm behaviour post takeover that throws workers on the scrapheap without even a glance back.

“They have asset stripped Morrisons, with our members now bearing the brunt of their mismanagement with this short-sighted decision to close the site.

“This treatment of people is plain wrong and unfair on the hundreds of people who work at the site and who have had their lives turned upside down by this decision.”

She vowed to oppose “de-facto fire-and-rehire” after Morrisons suggested it may keep the morning goods part of the factory open.

“We are considering all alternative options, and want to work with our partner union BFAWU, together with employee representatives, on how we could change our current business model and safeguard as many jobs as possible,” a Morrisons spokesman said.