Luxury clothing brand Burberry came under attack when workers heard from the media they were losing their jobs under plans to close a factory.

The GMB union said it was “outrageous” staff at Rotherham heard the news from radio and television reports and pledged to campaign for a change in the law to prevent it happening again.

Burberry described the Rotherham plant as a sewing facility, which it said will close as part of a restructuring set to cost up to 290 jobs.

Around 170 jobs will be lost at the South Yorkshire plant, which sews basic outerwear for the label, while further UK staff whose work relates to the factory could lose their jobs.

Angry workers said they knew nothing about the closure until they heard it on the news yesterday morning.

Women outside the gates of the small plant said they were disgusted.

Patricia Turner, aged 52, said: “Everyone’s so upset. It’s just a shock. We did not know.”

Tim Roache, regional officer of the GMB union, said: “I can confirm the GMB and its members were given no notice of this announcement. The first we heard of it was from the media. We are appalled in 2009 this approach is still carrying on – it is completely outrageous. We will have talks on this aspect to see if we can get law changes to stop it happening.”

Burberry said the measures were part of a global cost-cutting campaign that will see the loss of 540 jobs in the UK and Spain. It said the move would save the company between £30million and £35million.

In 2006 Burberry announced the closure of its factory in the Rhondda Valley, South Wales, which employed 300.

The move prompted a celebrity-backed union campaign but the closure went ahead.