Ulster Unionist East Antrim MLA Roy Beggs Jnr has commented on the job losses announced by Larne based generator manufacturer FG Wilson.
Mr Beggs said:
“The news that a production line based at FG Wilson’s Larne factory is being transferred to Tianjin, China with the loss of 160 jobs and the possibility of a loss of a further 100 jobs is deeply concerning. We simply cannot afford to be exporting jobs rather than products, to China or anywhere else.
“Throughout the current recession, the continued success of FG Wilson has been a beacon of hope for the local economy. Relatively recently, there have been announcement of major investment in a state of the art Assembly line and more staff were hired, albeit on an agency basis.
I understand that initially it is agency workers who will lose their jobs and this will be devastating to the families affected. We need to ensure that everything possible is done to assist those concerned and to maintain local engineering jobs, particularly such valuable export originated manufacturing jobs.
The First Minister and the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, were prominent when good news was announced at FG Wilson and now that help is needed, they should be talking to senior management and making urgent statements on this matter.”
-ENDS-