Meeting with Isles MSP Alasdair Allan on Monday morning, the desperate workers accused Lighthouse Caledonia of deliberately reducing processing at the factory in order to justify its closure and failing to promote the products of the smokehouse which closed last week.

Staff said their impression was that the company had no intention of retaining a processing facility in the islands and were only interested in the farm sites.

It is also expected that the closure of the plant would have a 'devastating' knock on effect on the local economy with jobs expected to go at Polybox, within the haulage industry and possibly on fish farms.

Particularly angry about the immediate closure of the smokehouse, one employee said: "I've been working for twelve and a half years in the smokehouse. We have orders to fulfill for Christmas and they have just closed us. Our customers didn't know and they weren't even offered a price increase. I just cannot believe it."

Another worker added that the company sales team had failed to promote the smoked fish and had not attracted any new customers since their takeover.

This was despite the fact that the company had recruited someone to market the smoked fish but allegedly terminated this contract within a matter of weeks.

Regarding the claim by LC that there is not enough fish to keep the factory running, one long term worker stated: "We have never run out of fish in 14 years, they have deliberately fished us out."

They also pointed out that the factory could be made more profitable as there was demand from current customers for more supplies and that they were capable of processing more fish but were being restricted.

With HIE and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar meeting with Lighthouse Caledonia officials yesterday (Wednesday) to discuss future options, staff also felt that any handout of public money should include some terms and conditions.

"We might be on low wages but we are not low intelligence," said one, "They will build a new factory, wait a year and then flog it. If money is given to this company it should be tied in for five years. We would also need to keep this factory going until a new one is built."

Responding to this comment, Mr Allan stressed that any public money would have to include a commitment from the company to remain in the islands.

Calling now on both local and national authorities to come to their aid, a petition has been signed by a large number of staff which states that the loss of the factory will have a knock on effect for the whole economy.

"We the undersigned workers from the Marybank factory of the above company would be extremely grateful if official voices of authority, both locally and nationally, would come to our rescue and save our factory and our livelihood from collapse."

They added that the factory has been the primary private employer on Lewis for the last 14 years and had brought 'consistent income, consistent stability and consistent hope to hundreds of families over the years.'

"130 jobs are now under threat and due to the current economic climate it is unlikely that many of us will manage to find alternative employment as there are few opportunities available locally," they concluded.

"This current situation not only affects the employees of this factory, but also the numerous other suppliers and businesses connected to the product and is therefore devastating to the whole island economy."

Many staff members commented during the meeting with Mr Allan that they would be left with no choice but to leave the island.

The threat of job losses is even more bitter for the staff due to the early rumblings from Lighthouse Caledonia that the takeover would offer them not only improved working terms and conditions but also the fact that the redevelopment of the Marybank factory was earmarked into their investment programme for 2008/09.

This was included in their intitial stock market prospectus and presented to local agencies and staff.

Following the meeting on Monday, a spokesperson for Lighthouse Caledonia said it had been a helpful and stressed that they were committed to maintaining a processing facility on Lewis 'if it is financially viable'.

They also added that there was a shortage of fish due to the restrictions on use of the sites and that previous firms at the factory had bought in fish for processing.

Mr Allan said at the meeting that he was sorry he could not provide workers with answers but that they had a 'window of opportunity' to fight during the consultation process.

He warned that he was only too aware of the 'terrible consequences' which could be in store for the islands should this closure go ahead.

He will now be conveying the severity of the situation to the Scottish Ministers.

Mr Allan also met with employees at Polybox.