| A senior spokesman for the Transport and General Workers Union also called on Scottish environment minister Ross Finnie and his team to agree a plan for countryside, poultry and food industry workers.
Chris Kaufman, the T&G’s national secretary for agriculture, said the Fife discovery “accelerated the need for action”.
The T&G is calling for a plan including –
* Immediate risk assessments to cover poultry hatcheries and processing operations, with a view to producing a contingency plan for the safety of workers;
* A full impact assessment on the effects on poultry employment of a sudden fall in poultry consumption;
* Government financial support for poultry and other workers who may be temporarily laid off in the event of any bird flu outbreak.
On a national basis, the T&G also wants a meeting between the union and representatives of Defra, the Department of Health and the Health and Safety Executive to agree a co-ordinated bird flu action plan based on current scientific knowledge
“These plans reflect the calm and measured response we believe is needed,” Mr Kaufman added.
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