Press Release
24th January 2001
Fullarton’s Frustrate Efforts to Help Staff
Local electronics firm Fullarton Computer Industries (Gourock) Ltd., who announced 350 job losses on November 24th last year, are frustrating the efforts of the Scottish Executive and Scottish Enterprise Renfrewshire to provide support for their staff who are facing redundancy.
By breaking their pledge to allow the full 90 days lead in time before the redundancies became effective, they have denied 200 ex-employees access to the comprehensive support package which local agencies are putting in place.
MSP for Greenock & Inverclyde, Duncan McNeil, who since the announcement has been pursuing the issue of support and assistance for Fullaron’s workers, is "disappointed and surprised" at the news. He said:
"When the company announced these redundancies last year, I raised the matter with both the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise Renfrewshire and the Enterprise Minister, making clear the need to provide support for Fullarton’s workers so that as many as possible find alternative employment.
"I was assured that those affected by the announcement would be offered co-ordinated support through dedicated local response teams.
"Scottish Enterprise Renfrewshire sought to establish a resource centre in the plant which would have given employees information and advice on matters such as employment, training and welfare benefits. The Enterprise Minister, Wendy Alexander, also assured me that the Scottish Executive would continue to work closely with the company and the unions.
"But the actions of Fullarton’s in releasing 200 employees immediately on a voluntary redundancy scheme, have seriously damaged this work.
"Not only have they gone back on a pledge, they have taken this action without discussing, or even mentioning, it with the Scottish Executive or local agencies.
"Support is obviously only available to employees while they remain at the plant. Fullarton’s have now made it far more difficult for local agencies to co-ordinate and deliver assistance to those who have been made redundant.
"Simply shifting these employees immediately on to the labour market does not serve their best interests. This is not best practice and not what I expect from a large employer."
ENDS
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