Workers face anxious wait (From Cotswold Journal)

Workers face anxious wait

1:00pm Thursday 7th March 2013 in News

MORE than 60 workers at Shipston’s largest employer face an anxious wait as the consultation period on whether to close the business reaches its conclusion.

G E Power & Water announced last month it is proposing to close Turbine Blading Ltd, in Station Road, which has been the town’s biggest employer since the Norgren factory shut in 2008.

The company is expected to make a further announcement after the consultation period ends tomorrow (Friday).

As reported in the Journal last week, district and town councillors and members of Stour United Businesses met with company managers last week to discuss the proposed closure, which would result in the loss of 64 jobs.

Councillor Jeff Kenner, Shipston ward member at Stratford District Council, said it was a productive meeting.

“We explained to GE just how vital these jobs are to Shipston and stressed the importance of manufacturing being kept in the town,” he said. “The GE representatives agreed that the Turbine Blading workers have been very loyal to the company and are highly skilled and productive.”

Coun Kenner said existing orders could take work up to the end of 2013 and, in the meantime, the firm would consider offers to acquire the business and look to redeploy some staff at its business in Rugby.

“The problem is overcapacity in European gas energy generation and globally an oversupply of the parts engineered at Turbine Blading,” he said.

Coun Richard Cheney, fellow ward member, said it was a useful meeting.

“This cross-party and community delegation made the GE managers aware of our concerns for the workforce, their families and the future of the site as an employment site in South Warwickshire,”

he said.