3,000 jobs to go in Motorola closure

Communications giant Motorola today confirmed plans to close the Bathgate plant in Scotland where more than 3,000 workers make mobile phones.

A Motorola statement said: "This proposal potentially affects all of the 3,100 employees at the site, although no final decision has yet been made.

The decision is a huge blow to the region's economy and would present the Government with a problem close to the expected general election. Prime minister Tony Blair personally intervened by pleading for jobs to be safeguarded when Motorola announced earlier this month that cutbacks were being considered.

But the company said the background to the 'proposal' was a global decline in the demand for mobile phones already highlighted by the company when it announced on March 13 cutbacks of up to 7,000 jobs worldwide in the personal communications sector. "Today's proposal forms part of that action," said the statement.

The company said it had come to the decision only after long and complex deliberations, and weighing up "a huge number" of considerations.

It acknowledged the decision would cause concern for the Bathgate workforce. The statement continued: "As you would expect Motorola is committed to providing a full range of support services to its employees throughout the coming weeks as it continues to discuss the proposal with the elected employee consultation forum."

Union leaders reacted with fury to the news and demanded that Motorola hand back £20 million worth of Government grants it has received over the past two years.

Danny Carrigan, Scottish regional secretary of the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union, said: "This is a real kick in the teeth for the workers. The whole Bathgate community depends on that plant and the area will now be destroyed. Motorola should now hand back over £20 million worth of grants the company has been given over the past two years. They are sacking the workers so we want the money back."

Roger Lyons, general secretary of the Manufacturing Science and Finance union, said Motorola was taking advantage of the fact that it was "easier and cheaper" to sack workers in the UK than elsewhere in Europe.

"Motorola told workers that they did not need a trade union as their jobs were secure - the workforce can now see that the company cannot be trusted to keep its word."

Thousands of jobs are under threat in the UK electronics industry mainly because of problems facing American firms. The latest effect was revealed last night when US manufacturer 3M said 500 jobs would be cut in the UK over the next year as part of a global cutback.

The AEEU is holding a special summit in London on Friday to discuss the job losses in the industry.

Useful links
Motorola
Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union
Manufacturing Science and Finance union
Department of Trade and Industry (Telecoms)
Oftel

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