220 Jobs To Be Axed At Potash Mine In Boulby

220 jobs are to be axed at the potash mine in Boulby, near Middlesbrough,

Unite the union which has about 800 members at the UK's deepest mine, said this was more disastrous news for the regional economy, following hard on the heels of the announcement by SSI Redcar that it was to axe about 2,200 jobs at Redcar.

ICL, a global manufacturer of products based on specialty minerals, announced a 'significant restructuring' of its operations in East Cleveland with a transition from producing potash to producing polysulphate, a unique, environmentally-friendly fertiliser.

Unite regional co-ordinating officer Tim Bush said: "This is another serious hammer blow to employment in the north east, following on from the loss of 2,200 jobs at the Redcar steel plant. The region is already an area of high unemployment, which seems to be have been forgotten by government.

"We are meeting the company tomorrow Friday 13 November to ask for the rationale for the job losses which will affect miners, process workers and engineering staff.

"We understand that the ICL will be investing heavily in the polysulphate product, so we want to know why this entails the job losses announced today, especially as the Boulby mine is the world's only producer of the new product, with a target of a million tonnes a year by 2020.

"We will be seeking to mitigate the number of job losses and will be strongly supporting our members in the days and weeks ahead. It is disastrous news for the workforce, their families and the regional economy."

(CD)