POLITICIANS and union leaders have demanded answers over the fate of jobs at a Bolton factory.

Bolton West MP Julie Hilling has written to three tissue companies urging them to put an end to “confusion” surrounding 28 employees at the former Georgia Pacific site on Middlebrook, Horwich.

Staff have been told their jobs will be terminated from August 11, according to Ms Hilling.

She said concerns have been growing since the site was bought by Swedish company Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget (SCA), last summer.

SCA bought four tissue supplier businesses from Georgia Pacific including the factory in Horwich, but European competition rules meant it had to sell two of them, including Horwich.

Intertissue then bought the site in July 2012, but was not allowed to buy the whole business and part of it was sold to Northwood and Wepa.

Ms Hilling said the majority of workers had been given roles at Horwich, transferred to other sites or made redundant, but 28 are left “in limbo” with no company taking responsibility to either continue their employment, or make them redundant.

She said: “I was assured by SCA last year that the workforce would be looked after during this sale and transfer but this clearly is not happening.

“These are three international companies who are playing with the lives of 28 hardworking and dedicated employees.”

A worker, who did not wish to be named, said: “It’s awful, a lot of people are close to boiling point because of the stress they’re under wondering how they’re going to feed their families.”

North West Unite officer Nora Ashton said: “Unfortunately, over the last few weeks, Intertissue has been reluctant to consult in a reasonable manner. It has now come to a point where the employees need this issue to be resolved quickly.”

A spokesman for Sofidel — which owns Intertissue — said: “We have been actively consulting with our staff and trade unions about the position of those employees affected by these proposals and will continue to do so in an effort to reach agreement.”

A Northwood and Wepa spokesman said: “We are disappointed to have become involuntarily involved in this dispute.While this situation is not the result of any action or omission by N&W, it trusts responsibilities will be clarified and that an appropriate resolution will be achieved shortly.”

An SCA spokeswoman said the firm has been made aware of the ‘uncertainty’ and were in discussions.