ERICSSON IN ATHLONE, Co Westmeath has announced they will cut 100 jobs.
The telecommunications company, which currently employs around 700 people, will reduce the workforce in February 2013.
They hope they can achieve the job cuts through a voluntary redundancy scheme but if they can’t they will introduce mandatory redundancies.
The news comes after the Swedish branch of the company announced 1,550 jobs losses affecting employees in all parts of the organization in an effort to reduce costs .
Longford-Westmeath TD, Robert Troy said that live register numbers in the area are already high:
There are already 3,988 people on the live register in Athlone and these job losses will have a major impact on spending and confidence in the town. The fact that this news has broken with just over six weeks to go to Christmas is a major blow and will be causing huge anxiety for the workers at Ericsson and their families.
Denis Naughten, Independent TD for Roscommon-South Leitrim said it was a deep blow for the area.
This news coming so close to Christmas is a huge blow to both the people who will lose their jobs and to their families – but I do hope that these redundancies can be secured on a voluntary basis.
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