Trelleborg on four-day week, lays off 25 workers
O-ring producer Trelleborg yesterday laid off 25 employees just days after dropping its production line to a four-day week. The company, which depends on orders from car manufacturers, has been hit hard by the slump which took over the automotive industry as a result of the international financial crisis.
In fact, the company is among the first publicised local victims of the steady slide into recession along with cosmetics manufacturers Toly Products which laid off 84 workers last week, and Methode Electronics and Hectronic which reduced their working week to four days.
General Workers' Union general secretary Tony Zarb had hinted at the lay-offs on Wednesday, even though he kept the name of the company to himself.
He had said that the original plan was to lay off more than 100 employees but after the union intervened, the number was negotiated down to the 25 who got the sack yesterday.
The company said it had taken a number of measures to try to mitigate the situation over the past few months but in the circumstances was left with no choice but to make the move.
The lay-offs come as rival unions prepare to rally in a historic protest against the new energy bills which, they say, will deal a further blow to the economy which is already facing a gloomy forecast as a result of the international crisis.
The Prime Minister defended the new tariffs in Parliament on Wednesday but said he was confident that a solution to the deadlock would be found.
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Noel Cutajar
Nov 14th 2008, 15:37
At J. Farrugia - even the laying off of one worker is more than enough...how pathetic your comment is...so in order to make news the company has to lay off all employees...well done,
Jeremy J Camilleri
Nov 14th 2008, 15:09
25 MEASLY workers...and this Gentleman claims to be Christian?
As to the issue at hand, a recession that was deemed not to affect Malta by our inestimable experts is suddenly looming over all of us.
It is this shadow that should have stopped the Government from taxing us heavily in the last budget.
And please stop going on about the enviromental measure. Everyone needs an excuse...but whilst a paddle boat will be taxed, a fuel guzzling super boat will not be affetcted.
Whilst a consumer shall have to pay 15c for a plastic bag, we have axed glass bottles in favour of plastic ones...the list goes on....
lgalea
Nov 14th 2008, 14:30
J Farrugia
What if it was YOU or someone from your family?
Tony Azzopardi
It is partly the Governments fault for not fixing the situation at EneMalta over the long years that the PN has been in Government and now wants to give all the medicine to the patient at one go thus making the factories not competitive and it is also the eu's fault because although it knows what hardships it is going to cause to the Maltese people it is still insisting on a balanced budget by 2010.
J Farrugia
Nov 14th 2008, 14:20
@ J Demicoli - Yes it would be a measly one because no one will care whether I work or not. and no one will protest for me, and no one will feed my family. And no one will care for me. So enough. I have always fended for myself and for my family and am awaiting no handouts from anyone. If we fall into recession it will be labour's fault for always being negative. fullstop.
J Demicoli
Nov 14th 2008, 13:02
@ J Farrugia
I wonder what your comment would be like if this sort of ‘it’s in the air’ (mis) fortune struck you and obviously your family; I mean one fine morning you’ll find yourself jobless.
Then it would be just a MEASLY one!
I bet that would sound like news to you!
J Farrugia
Nov 14th 2008, 12:06
Is this news that Trelleborg is laying off TWENTY FIVE (25) WORKERS? What if I tell you that BT British Telecom is laying off TEN THOUSAND (10,000) workers and that the RBS l Bank of Scotland is laying off THREE THOUSAND (3000) workers? That is surely news not these measly 25 even though it means a lot to them. But we still are not in recession. IF WE CONTINUE TO BE NEGATIVE, YES WE WILL BE IN RECESSION. So let's pull up our optimism and continue working.
Maria Dolores Fenech
Nov 14th 2008, 11:31
@Tony Azzopardi
Eh le?
Even what you say is true, you have to admit that the budget does not help the situation, does it?
U hallina Ton, kun ragel u l-abjad ghidlu abjad u l-iswed ghidlu iswed.
Anke Dr Lawrence qed jinduna li zbalja f'dan il-budget, diga bidel ic-circulation tax.
Il-budget huwa r-rizultat tat-tberbieq zejjed li sar qabel l-elezzjoni, li qed inbghatuh ahna issa. Instejhom, FINANZI FIS-SOD? Jekk il-finanzi kienu daqshekk sodi ghala das-sikkar ta-cintorin?
SALLABTUNA!
Stephen Sultana
Nov 14th 2008, 11:30
@ Tony Azzopardi
Better to have a break yourself and spare some time to reflect.
Even the new tariffs has nothing to do with the Prime Minister? Do you know that these hefty tariffs will lay off more workers??
These tariffs as proposed by GonziPN will burden us all!!!
Tony Azzopardi
Nov 14th 2008, 10:09
@ Stephen Sultana.
Please give us all a break.
Everyone knows that what happened at the Trelleborg has nothing to do with the Prime Minister or with our administration but because of the global economic situation.
I am a Labourite by birth but these type of comments are really over the top and counter-productive.
Why dont we all try to face this situation together - that would mean a new political season not just mere talk!
Stephen Sultana
Nov 14th 2008, 09:40
This is an instance where the work is running after the workers!!!!! Another gimmick of the GonziPN!!!
Better to step down from power - our country is being ruined!