Fight to save jobs at Bausch & Lomb
Thu 17th Sep 2009
News of 500 job losses at eye health products company Bausch & Lomb came as a huge blow to the workers and thier families last week as the company announced it was entering into a 90-day consultation period involving its facility in Livingston, as part of a planned programme of global contact lens manufacturing restructuring. The company plans to migrate contact lens production to existing sites in Waterford, Ireland and Rochester, New York, U.S.
I met with the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, John Swinney last week, to discuss this decision and to try and find a solution that could save jobs or at least minimise the impact on the Bausch & Lomb employees. The meeting was constructive and consensual in that we will all work together to try and save jobs.
I also went to the factory in Livingston and met with some of the management staff who are obviously extremely saddened by this decision. The Livingston staff have been widely recognised for thier expertise, efficiency, dedication and pride in what they produce and how they produce it. The management team I met were very concerned for the future of thier workers and are making every effort to engage at every level to try and secure a furture for them. I came away from the meeting feeling very strongly that should these 500 jobs simply go, this would be a great loss to our skills sector and to our economy.
I will continue to work hard on behalf of the workers at Bausch & Lomb in Livingston and hope to report back on a positive outcome.
Tags: , , jobs.
Accessibility | Privacy | Site map
The costs of this website have been met out of parliamentary resources
© George Foulkes MSP