COVID-19 - Business Update
MCEUK TEAM MEMBERS
Organisational Announcement
As you are all aware the Coronavirus has impacted heavily upon the country, locally and more specifically directly on our business. We took steps to minimise the impact to team members’ health through social distancing by measures on site and working from home during last week.
As we are now experiencing an unprecedented pandemic as well as in the light of yesterday evening’s Government announcement, we will suspend our Assembly Line activities from tomorrow onwards. However, we will continue to maintain a reduced Aftersales service to our customers as well as that we continue rework and related shipping activities. In addition, a small team will implement the 2-metre distance rule on critical 2-man operated stations at our Assembly Lines to prepare the future.
As a result we will now significantly reduce on-site activities from Wednesday 25th March until Easter 2020 in line with the Government’s announcement of these new rules and they are subject to permanent ongoing further review.
In line with these guidelines, the Senior Managers will inform the teams individually as to their specific work requirements.
During the Prime Minister’s announcement on Friday 20th March, the Chancellor outlined the unprecedented financial measures the Government have committed to providing support to employees, businesses and the economy. The key point for team members is that under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme up to 80% of an employee’s gross salary would be paid (up to a maximum of £2,500 gross per month) initially for up to 3 months with effect from 1st March 2020.
With effect from Wednesday 25th March the Company will apply the Government Job Retention Scheme for those team members laid off, however, the payroll for 27th March will run as normal with adjustments to be made in April.
The temporary suspension of Assembly activities is extremely difficult news for all of us and a decision that has not been taken lightly. However, we must act in line with the strong Government health advice as well as consider the long-term security for our team members and protection of our business overall.
Please appreciate that communication at a distance will be more challenging, however, we will use all appropriate methods to provide updates as and when available and in any event at the stage whereby we can foresee recommencing our business operations.
We appreciate that there may be questions which we will endeavour to answer in a timely manner given the many constraints.
If you have any questions in relation to suspension of production and temporary lay-off then please use the specific email address we have set up for team members’ questions which is mceukshutdown@mecalac.com. Whilst email is the preferred method of communication, should you not have access to send an email then you may telephone 024 7633 9416.
In the meantime, please continue to strictly follow the Government’s health advice in order to look after yourself, your family and the larger community. We look forward to welcoming team members back after this challenging time.
Eric Lepine, Group Chief Operations Officer
Ruediger Fuchs, Interim General Manager