The phoenix emerges from the ashes! Conservas Fernández, known locally as La Diosa, will re-open as six former workers take up the reins of management.
On October 1 the factory, valued at 19 million euros by the liquidators, was bought by six workers at the plant for 132,100 euros.
The workers expect to receive two million euros in compensations owed to them which will enable them to restart commercial activity at the plant.
It has been nine years since the factory, a main motor of the local economy, closed its gates throwing 311 permanent employees and 700 casual workers onto the street.
During the next few days negotiations will begin again with different companies interested in producing conserves, meaning production could start in the first three months of next year.
In spite of all the difficulties, the legal representatives of the workers, together with the Mayor of Calasparra, Jose Velez, and a small group of workers, set about looking for the capital in order to bid for the factory and stop speculators buying it up for a ridiculous price in order to sell it off in pieces.
The Mayor of Calasparra, who has played a key role in the resolution of the situation of the workers at the plant and in aiding the workers to secure this deal, says. “Now it is the workers who will decide the future of the plant.” He also warned the regional government to “take note of mistakes they had made in the past.”
