Union focused on minimising job losses, securing remaining jobs and negotiating the best possible redundancy package

October 6th: Unite has written to the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD, urging her to intervene to prevent or minimise the threatened job losses at the Longford-based Cameron plant.  The call comes in the wake of yesterday’s shock announcement by the company that 170 jobs may be at threat as a result of a proposal to transfer production out of Ireland.

Commenting, Unite Regional Officer Willie Quigley said:

“This threat comes little over a year after Cameron was taken over by oilfield services giant Schlumberger, with Cameron CEO Jack Moore claiming that the partnership would herald Cameron’s ‘next phase of growth’.  Instead, yesterday afternoon staff were called to a meeting to be told of a proposal to close the production plant with the loss of 170 jobs.

“Such job losses would have a devastating impact not only on the workers directly affected, but on the local economy of Longford and the surrounding area.  I am urging the Minister to use her influence with the relevant agencies to avoid or minimise these job losses. 45 jobs were lost there earlier this year, and a further 170 would be catastrophic for the locality.

“The focus now must be on minimising job losses and securing the remaining jobs.  Unite will be working to negotiate the best possible redundancy terms for those workers who may lose their jobs”, Willie Quigley said.