OVER 400 job losses between three multinational companies were among the negative announcements for workers yesterday. Plumbing, heating and building supplies company Wolseley Ireland said some 180 employees are to lose their jobs, representing almost one-fifth of its Irish workforce.
The firm is to close four of its branches, but the job losses will be across the company. It operates more than 100 stores nationwide and its best-known brands include Brooks, Tubs and Tiles and Heat Merchants.
Two outlets in Tullamore, Co Offaly, Heat Merchants and Tubs and Tiles, are to close. The company would not reveal the other affected branches until all staff have been informed. It gave “unprecedented market conditions” as the reason for the losses and said the decision was necessary to maintain competitiveness.
Siptu said it would shortly meet with the company to discuss proposed layoffs. Last June, the organisation, which is part of multinational Wolseley plc made 150 workers redundant in Ireland.
Cathaoirleach of Tullamore Town Council, Labour councillor Seán O’Brien said the council would be pushing the IDA to get some new industry into the town. It was incumbent on Taoiseach Brian Cowen to deliver in his local area, he added.
Fine Gael TD for Laois Offaly Olwyn Enright said this was “more bleak news” for Offaly. The live register in Tullamore had risen by 75 per cent in the last year, she added.
Some 115 job losses between Dublin and Athlone were announced by pharmaceutical firm Elan yesterday. It is expected that 70 or 80 of the cuts will be in Athlone.
This move is part of a reduction in the company’s US and Irish operations by 230 jobs. In its end of year report, Elan had indicated that there would be job losses this year.
It is understood that some staff in Athlone will be be put on care and maintenance at the end of next month. This is because the company is postponing a decision on Alzheimer’s drug bapineuzumab, which is at an advanced stage of clinical trials.
Fine Gael senator for Longford Westmeath Nicky McFadden blamed the losses on the cost of conducting business in Ireland. She said unemployment in Athlone was “skyrocketing”.
Labour TD for Longford Westmeath Willie Penrose said this was particularly bad news for the economy because it was in an industry “that has been touted as one of the sectors that would deliver jobs and deliver prosperity into the future”.
Meanwhile, the Agricultural Science Association (ASA) has said methods must be found to safeguard the jobs of 100 agricultural graduates involved in the Teagasc Rural Environment Protection Scheme (Reps) planning service.
ASA president Elaine Farrell said the Government had directed all of these planners had to be let go by Teagasc when their employment contracts expire over the next 12 months.
She said it was vital the expertise of these young professionals is not lost to the Reps programme and to the agricultural sector.
Teagasc announced a reorganisation plan earlier this week, which will see early retirement being offered to 120 staff.
In Shannon, Co Clare, some 220 floor staff at diamond manufacturer Element Six (formerly De Beers industrial diamonds) were yesterday told that they would have to go on a week-on and week-off roster, resulting in a significant reduction in their income.
The company announced last December that it needed to cut its workforce by 150. It is now thought to be seeking a further 70 job cuts subject to the availability of funds.
Medical device manufacturer Sanmina-SCI looks set to shed 125 staff at its north Cork plant in the coming weeks.
Staff have been informed of the Fermoy-based company’s intention to cut more than 25 per cent of its 400-strong workforce, with 100 temporary and short-term contracts to be terminated and 25 highly skilled employees offered voluntary redundancy. However, the company headquarters in San Jose, California, has yet to confirm the total number of job losses.