Two firms to lay off 200 workers
Medwear Clothing to close down after 24 years
About 200 workers are to be laid off by two clothing companies, one of which is to close down, the General Workers' Union said yesterday.
The union said Medwear Clothing and Estro Clothing, both located at Kordin industrial estate, were facing financial difficulties.
Medwear Clothing, which has been making men's jackets for 24 years, is to close down in a few weeks' time.
It employs 160 workers, who were given their discharge notices yesterday morning, an hour after the secretary of the union's textile workers section, Roberto Cristiano, was informed about the decision to close down by the company's owner.
The union said Medwear's problems arose from the economic uncertainties and big difficulties being faced by its German market. The company in fact closed down its factory in Germany a few days ago.
It had been in difficulty for some time, and it cut its workforce by half in 2000, the GWU said.
Estro Clothing, which makes jeans, yesterday issued discharge notices to 40 of its 90 employees.
The factory has been operating since May last year after buying SJI Clothing.
The union said it took steps to make sure the collective agreements with both companies would be respected and the workers given their dues.
It has informed the social policy minister about the redundancies and has started looking for new jobs for the workers together with the Employment and Training Corporation.