PRESS RELEASE
May 22th, 2009

Too little too late

Greenock and Inverclyde MSP Duncan McNeil is disappointed that the First Minister's meeting with T-Mobile failed to win any jobs for displaced TSC workers.

Mr McNeil, who called on the Scottish Government to intervene fully three months ago, described the summit as an 'anti-climax' in light of T-Mobile's global recruitment freeze.

He said: "After pushing for this meeting between the Scottish Government and T-Mobile for months I can only be disappointed with the results.

“It’s a bit of an anti-climax. I sincerely hope the recruitment freeze is just a temporary one and I take some consolation that T-Mobile remain upbeat about their future in Greenock.”

The local MSP has met with bosses at both T-Mobile and TSC regularly since the job threat was revealed earlier this year.

And he has been given assurances from T-Mobile in a letter that displaced workers will considered for jobs as their own centre grows

He had called on the First Minister to put pressure on T-Mobile for guarantees that will minimise the impact of the TSC closure.

Mr McNeil said: “I have made no secret of dismay at the complacent way this has been handled by the Scottish Government.

“T-Mobile had intimated to me that they will be able to offer jobs to those displaced workers and I believe a small number have been successful so far.

“But that is not as many as we would hope for. I have said all along, T-Mobile is part of the problem but is also part of the solution.

“The call centre industry is facing considerable challenges and if Inverclyde and Scotland are to continue to benefit from these jobs, the Scottish Government needs to engage with these companies now.

“They showed a reluctance to get involved when I raised this issue three months ago. Now that he has got involved, it seems it is too little too late.”

ENDS