TWELVE staff who had agreed to voluntary redundancy at Ulverston's GlaxoSmithKline pharmaceuticals plant will be staying on longer as a result of a drive to increase production of the anti-viral flu drug Relenza.
Governments across the world have placed orders with GSK for the drug that reduces flu symptoms in preparation for a potential global flu pandemic.
Steve Bowe, personnel director at the Ulverston site, said preparatory work necessary to manufacture the initial stages of Relenza was almost complete. Manufacture is likely to start in the New Year and take up a small area of one of Ulverston's manufacturing facilities that has not been hit by a demolition programme triggered by downsizing at the factory where nearly 500 people have been laid off since 2002.
Mr Bowe said the manpower needed to support Relenza manufacture had been sourced by transferring staff from existing departments and by approximately 12 staff agreeing to defer voluntary redundancy leaving dates later into 2006.
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