Maó. Nueva Rumasa employees demonstrating outside the Maó plant yesterday

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In spite of heavy rain, around one hundred Quesería Menorquina workers held a protest rally at midday yesterday in front of the factory on the Maó industrial estate owned by Nueva Rumasa, calling for the plant to stay open and demanding to be paid the outstanding wages for the last two months. Margot Sastre, spokesperson for the works' committee, declared that the action was "the first step" before a mass rally involving all the workers in the Ruiz-Mateos group, planned for 12th March in Madrid, which representatives from the Menorca plant will attend.

Sastre claimed that the Maó plant is virtually at a standstill with employees only working one day last week and only for a few hours then and that there had been little production during February. She declined to comment on specifics of negotiations being held yesterday but stated that all the parties involved in the dispute were working hard to find a solution as soon as possible.

Last week the Balearic Councillor for Tourism and Labour, Joana Barceló, announced that her department was working with the factory workers' representatives and management to try to ensure that production started again, in order to avoid the company facing bankruptcy. Following this a short-term viability plan would have to be devised in agreement with the suppliers and creditors.

The Councillor told the Balearic Parliament that Quesería Menorquina "is a viable company" that found itself "at risk through lack of finance and bad management". Together with the Island Councillor for the Economy and Environment, Antònia Allès, Barceló had a meeting with the State Government representatives in Madrid last week to try to find a way to restart production in Maó.

Talks held between public institutions and union representatives to date have centred on trying to persuade Nueva Rumasa to part with the plant but it would appear that there are no interested parties.

Suppliers facing serious difficulties

Nueva Rumasa owes a total of 7.5 million euros to 520 dairy farmers who have been awaiting payment for between three and five months, the average debt per farm exceeding 20,000 euros. Many of the farmers who have tried to cash in the promissory notes given to them by the company have found that, not only were these returned due to a lack of funds, but also that they themselves were charged the commission demanded by the bank for the transaction, in some cases around 400 euros.

Although loath to do so, the farmers did deliver the curds to the co-operative in Ciutadella this week, the weight being around 1,000 kgs. less than the previous week, as the farmers have been unable to give as much feed to the cattle and milk production has dropped.

However, the farmers are adamant that this will be their last delivery until the situation has been resolved and are in talks with the President of the Island Council which is to mediate with the Balearic Government in an effort to find a solution.