Published: Friday, 29th May, 2009 2:00pm

Job cuts to hit Inverclyders

by David Moroney

Hundreds of people in Inverclyde could be made redundant as almost 850 jobs are to be cut at an electronics firm.

A total of 843 manufacturing jobs are to go at the Hewlett Packard plant in Erskine.

The company is to close its manufacturing operations in Scotland and Germany and transfer the work to the Czech Republic.

About 1,300 people are employed by the firm in Erskine and it is understood 500 will remain at the site.

One devastated Inverclyde employee, who asked not to be named, said: 'It"s a blow for everyone affected.

'There must be hundreds of people from Inverclyde who work there.'

A 39-year-old Port Glasgow woman, who also asked not to be named, said at least 400 people from Inverclyde would lose their jobs.

She said: 'We are not shocked but what really gets us is that senior management knew about it and the media knew about it before us.

'We feel really gutted - it"s ridiculous we weren"t told until yesterday afternoon.

'We"ve worked tooth and nail for the company - as soon as HP took over the place went downhill in the way the organisation treated employees.

'This has been the final nail in the coffin. There will be 400 people looking for jobs in Inverclyde - it"s unreal.'

Trish Godman MSP has pledged to speak to management and workers" representatives to see what can be done to limit job losses.

The MSP also asked Alex Salmond at First Ministers Question Time what the Scottish Government could do to assist the HP workers who face redundancy.

She said: 'I am only too aware that this announcement will affect many of my constituents who live in Inverclyde.

'I will speak to management at the site as well as workers" representatives and work with local MP Jim Sheridan to find out what can done to limit job losses.'

She said the firm must be fully committed to their pledge of "workforce redeployment".

She added: 'It is disappointing that local jobs will be transferred overseas.

'This is a huge blow for the local economy.'

Trish will also raise this matter with Finance Secretary John Swinney next week.

Of the 843 affected, 70 are permanent HP staff and 773 employees of HP manufacturing partner Manpower.

A statement from the company said that it was undergoing "restructuring" and that they will carry out local consultations with employee representatives, due to start next month.

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