Retailing Losses Add To Dole Queue Woes

On top of news earlier this week that unemployment levels continue to rise across NI, more than 60 staff are to lose their jobs at the TJ Hughes department store in north Belfast.

The firm is closing its store in the Cityside Retail Park this weekend after the firm's administrators said all 64 staff who worked at the Belfast store are to go as it is one of 54 branches which are closing or have closed after the Liverpool-based group called in administrators Ernst and Young in June.

SDLP North Belfast MLA Alban Maginness has expressed his concerns and as Chair of Stormont's Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee said: "My sympathies go to the workers and their families who face a difficult time during a prolonged period for the retail sector in particular.

"This is very difficult for the workers to contend with, as the company has not been in Belfast very long.

"Government needs to address the issue the employees have, in terms of getting alternative jobs or training in other areas of employment," he said.

Earlier this week, the Alliance Enterprise Spokesperson Trevor Lunn expressed his concern after there was a slight increase in the number of people out of work in Northern Ireland in the past quarter. It rose to 7.3% from 7.2% in the first quarter of 2011.

Trevor Lunn MLA said: "These latest figures show that we are still feeling the effects of the global economic uncertainty.

"It highlights the needs for radical action to be taken to reform our economy. We need to see immediate action to develop a green economy here," suggesting a possible action plan to tackle the job losses.

"Through initiatives such as home insulation and boiler replacement schemes, we could create jobs especially in the construction sector as well as reducing people's fuels bill.

"We could also benefit from renewable energy production as Northern Ireland is probably the second best placed country in Europe to avail from it given our location by the Atlantic Ocean, and if we see enough commitment by the Executive we could see a large number of jobs created.

"In the long term we need to promote our private sector by encouraging foreign investment to Northern Ireland," he said.

He was commenting after the NI Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster said on Wednesday: "The latest labour market indicators recorded a rise in unemployment levels throughout the UK.

"Given the level of uncertainty about the state of the global economy, the road to economic recovery was always going to be tough and the latest rise in unemployment highlights the challenge that we continue to face.

"However, it should be noted that the latest Northern Ireland unemployment rate remained below both the UK and European averages," the DUP Minister said, positively.

See: Still More Signing On Dole In NI

(BMcC/GK)