01/11/2007
Government Will Support Redundant Waterford Workers
Every effort will be made by the Government to find new jobs for hundreds of Waterford Crystal employees facing redundancy, Minister for Finance Brian Cowen has told the Dáil.
Tánaiste Mr Cowen, who was deputising for the Taoiseach, said the job losses were trade-related and inevitable.
He told TDs in the Dáil that Enterprise Ireland has been in constant contact with the company this week and was offering as much assistance as possible.
“This is obviously a very disappointing development for the workers and their families,” he said.
He added that state agencies like FAS were on alert to retrain staff and source alternative employment. The minister said there had been a significant number of job announcements in the Co Waterford area over the past five years.
“Unfortunately this latest development is a disappointing one for this major company, which is so closely associated with the city and the county.”
He was commenting after it emerged that 500 jobs are likely to be lost soon at the famous Waterford Crystal factory.
It is understood that the falling price of the dollar has impacted badly on the profitability of Waterford Wedgwood products, which are heavily dependent on export to the US.
At the same time - in an echo of the situation at Seagate in Limavady, in Northern Ireland - where 900 jobs are being lost in favour of a Seagate facility in the Far East, it is also believed that up to half of the 1,000 jobs at the Waterford Crystal plant in Waterford City are to be outsourced to a company in Slovenia, which already manufactures part of the Waterford Crystal range.
Workers at the plant say they are resigned to the fact that between 450 and 500 job cuts will be made at the plant in the coming weeks.
"We're facing into a reality of significant redundancies of up to 500 workers," said Pat Fitzgerald, branch chairman of trade union UNITE, formerly the ATGWU.
Union officials have been given a specific list of 393 jobs at the plant, which they say management now want to shed.
Union reps met yesterday with management after staff voiced concerns about speculation that their jobs were to be outsourced to eastern Europe.
Last month the Waterford Wedgwood chairman, Sir Anthony O'Reilly, told the company's AGM that management would conduct a "root and branch overhaul of the company globally".
The company is now in talks with a major investor with a view to raising around �50m to finance the restructuring programme.
(BMcC)
Tánaiste Mr Cowen, who was deputising for the Taoiseach, said the job losses were trade-related and inevitable.
He told TDs in the Dáil that Enterprise Ireland has been in constant contact with the company this week and was offering as much assistance as possible.
“This is obviously a very disappointing development for the workers and their families,” he said.
He added that state agencies like FAS were on alert to retrain staff and source alternative employment. The minister said there had been a significant number of job announcements in the Co Waterford area over the past five years.
“Unfortunately this latest development is a disappointing one for this major company, which is so closely associated with the city and the county.”
He was commenting after it emerged that 500 jobs are likely to be lost soon at the famous Waterford Crystal factory.
It is understood that the falling price of the dollar has impacted badly on the profitability of Waterford Wedgwood products, which are heavily dependent on export to the US.
At the same time - in an echo of the situation at Seagate in Limavady, in Northern Ireland - where 900 jobs are being lost in favour of a Seagate facility in the Far East, it is also believed that up to half of the 1,000 jobs at the Waterford Crystal plant in Waterford City are to be outsourced to a company in Slovenia, which already manufactures part of the Waterford Crystal range.
Workers at the plant say they are resigned to the fact that between 450 and 500 job cuts will be made at the plant in the coming weeks.
"We're facing into a reality of significant redundancies of up to 500 workers," said Pat Fitzgerald, branch chairman of trade union UNITE, formerly the ATGWU.
Union officials have been given a specific list of 393 jobs at the plant, which they say management now want to shed.
Union reps met yesterday with management after staff voiced concerns about speculation that their jobs were to be outsourced to eastern Europe.
Last month the Waterford Wedgwood chairman, Sir Anthony O'Reilly, told the company's AGM that management would conduct a "root and branch overhaul of the company globally".
The company is now in talks with a major investor with a view to raising around �50m to finance the restructuring programme.
(BMcC)
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05 January 2010
Waterford Crystal Sale Shatters Hopes
Former staff hoping to get back to their jobs at Waterford Crystal have seen their hopes shattered as the site goes up for sale today.
Waterford Crystal Sale Shatters Hopes
Former staff hoping to get back to their jobs at Waterford Crystal have seen their hopes shattered as the site goes up for sale today.
01 November 2007
Waterford To Shed 500 Staff
It has emerged that 500 jobs are likely to be lost at Waterford Crystal. Workers' representatives have already been told to expect an announcement on restructuring at the plant.
Waterford To Shed 500 Staff
It has emerged that 500 jobs are likely to be lost at Waterford Crystal. Workers' representatives have already been told to expect an announcement on restructuring at the plant.
01 August 2017
Bausch + Lomb Create 125 New Jobs
Bausch + Lomb has announced the opening of a new €85 million extension at the their Waterford facility, with the creation of 125 new jobs. Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, the parent company of Bausch + Lomb, has invested more than €200 million in the Waterford facility's operations, infrastructure and manufacturing line growth.
Bausch + Lomb Create 125 New Jobs
Bausch + Lomb has announced the opening of a new €85 million extension at the their Waterford facility, with the creation of 125 new jobs. Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, the parent company of Bausch + Lomb, has invested more than €200 million in the Waterford facility's operations, infrastructure and manufacturing line growth.
26 June 2009
Jobs Lost At Waterford Plant
Some 178 jobs are to go as electrical components factory ABB in Waterford announces it is to close. The company, which manufactures distribution transformers for the construction sector in Ireland and the UK, is to end its operations in Waterford by March 2010.
Jobs Lost At Waterford Plant
Some 178 jobs are to go as electrical components factory ABB in Waterford announces it is to close. The company, which manufactures distribution transformers for the construction sector in Ireland and the UK, is to end its operations in Waterford by March 2010.
27 February 2002
Eye care company creates 30 jobs in Waterford
Bausch & Lomb, a global eye care company, is to create 30 new jobs at its Waterford operation following the announcement of a £10.5 million investment in the site. The company will develop the site in order to facilitate the pre-market development and production of its Envision TD drug-delivery system.
Eye care company creates 30 jobs in Waterford
Bausch & Lomb, a global eye care company, is to create 30 new jobs at its Waterford operation following the announcement of a £10.5 million investment in the site. The company will develop the site in order to facilitate the pre-market development and production of its Envision TD drug-delivery system.
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