FEARS have been expressed over the long-term future of the Amazon plant in Gourock.

Inverclyde MP Iain McKenzie is to meet with company bosses to seek answers after staff were offered the chance to go home early from shifts and take advantage of redundancy packages.

Other insiders at the plant have told the Telegraph that business at the factory is ‘the quietest it has ever been’.

The uncertainity follows Amazon’s announcement of thousands of seasonal jobs across the UK.

Two sources within the plant told the Telegraph that there are real fears among workers that the Gourock factory is being ‘run down’ with a view to closing it.

They said: “The factory has been very quiet, the quietest we’ve ever seen it, staff have been offered the option to go home early because there is no work for them.

“Obviously people are worried about what this means for the future as generally the lead up to Christmas is the one time the place is booming.” Voluntary redundancy deals of £3,500 were made to permanent members of staff last week, further fuelling staff’s closure fears.

Now the MP for Inverclyde has said he plans to speak to management about what is behind the ‘mixed messages’ being sent out.

Mr McKenzie told the Telegraph: “From the information I have from employees, Amazon appears to be sending out mixed messages by on one hand offering a voluntary severance package, and on the other announcing creating several hundreds temporary positions that they say could lead to full time employment with the company.

“I will be asking Amazon how Gourock and this offer of voluntary separation fits into their overall business strategy.” He said he was very concerned that some employees thought their jobs were at risk.

Mr McKenzie said: “I will be seeking assurances that Gourock not only features in their future business plans but is a central strategic part of any business plan.

“I will be asking Amazon to state categorically that the Gourock plant remains in their long term plans” One source told the Telegraph: “For the last three months people have been able to leave early. There’s not enough work.

“There was a meeting on Wednesday morning and they’ve offered £3,500 redundancies to permanent staff — they can go come February.

“This is the worst it’s ever been, especially as late in the year — 44 seasonal staff were taken on Monday, this time last year it was 1,000. The place is half empty, I think it’s going to close.” Another source said morale was at an all-time low.

Mr McKenzie said he welcomed the creation of new jobs but would be asking how many seasonal jobs would become full-time positions.

He said: “I am also interested to hear of the plans by Amazon for the future of their business overall and how Gourock fits into that plan.” A spokeswoman for Amazon said: “At Gourock, we expect to hire more than 600 seasonal associates for the Christmas period.

“We have 6,000 permanent employees working across our UK fulfilment centres, more than ever before.

“The majority of our UK workforce outside the Christmas period is permanent and that proportion of permanent employees continues to increase.

“Indeed, we are hiring fewer seasonal associates this Christmas across the UK because we have created a high number of permanent roles in our UK centres over the past 12 months.

“We occasionally get minor fluctuations in demand and will give associates the choice to take some time as holiday but this is optional and those who wish to continue working their shift are able to do so.

“Also at every Amazon fulfilment centre across the UK, including Gourock, we recently announced a new programme called ‘The Offer’ which is already running in the US.

“We want people working at Amazon who want to be here. In the long-term, staying somewhere you don’t want to be isn’t healthy for our employees or for the company.

“In the UK, Amazon will once a year, offer to pay our associates up to £3,500 if they wish to leave. We tell them upfront that we hope they don’t take the offer. In fact, we want them to stay.”