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Sun Juice update

Workers at the Serious Food Sun Juice factory in Llantrisant have been told 127 of them will lose their jobs.

I'm still trying to find out whether this is instead of or on top of the 200 redundancies that were announced in November.

The company, which supplies Tesco and Starbucks, blames harsh trading conditions for the cuts.

Job Loss Map

Seems to be a lot of talk about South Wales, and Cardiff in particular, being protected from the recession by the public sector.

While it's true the large number of Local Government, NHS, University, and Quango employees in Cardiff are largely safe, there have still been a number of less high-profile redundancies across the region.

To see for yourself, check out the map below. It's a work in progress but nonetheless it shows just how badly the area's been affected. If anyone spots any that I've missed out please feel free to email me and I'll make the changes asap.

(ps. The map seems to work a lot better in Firefox browsers)

Help for the newly unemployed

The Assembly have announced £68m plans to help the newly redundant re-train and get back into work. They've been touting it as a response to the Corus announcement, although it seem this press release was published before the extent of the redundancies was confirmed.

Quick response or slick PR?

I also feel obliged to ask why the Welsh Assembly are paying to pick up the pieces when Corus have admitted (see the press release in yesterday's post) that they will be making £200m operating profits as a result of this 'competitiveness initiative'?

I also wonder how well the Unions have dealt with this situation. Back in December, there was talk of a 10% pay cut being offered to save jobs. Community Union apparently rejected it...now 10% of their members are being made redundant.

Corus Steel

On a day of global job cuts, the recession (it's official) made its presence felt closer to home today when one of the region's largest employers wielded the axe.

Corus have announced it intends to shed 10% of its work force to cope with the fall in demand for steel.

Of 3,500 planned redundancies, 2,500 will be UK based, with around 1,100 in Wales. Llanwern is the hardest hit site, where the mill is expected to be mothballed (although some fear closure altogether) and more than 500 staff laid off.

They blame the recession, falling steel prices, rising energy costs and the decline of the construction, automobile and manufacturing industries.

A press release outlining the company's 'initiative to enhance competitiveness" states:

"Today’s initiative is strategic and structural in nature. Elements of the initiative comprise long-term plans that were already under consideration, but which have been brought forward as a result of the slowdown. It should bring annual improvements in operating profit of more than £200m."

Another gloomy day...

Today saw more than 100 job cuts across South Wales.

Celtic Manor, the host of the 2010 Ryder Cup, announced that it will be losing 70 jobs. The five star resort becomes the latest victim as the downturn hits the service sector.

And Timet in Waunarlwydd joins the ranks of manufacturers shedding staff as it adjusts to the downturn in demand for aluminium. 23 staff will lose their jobs.

And 30 staff face redundancy at a City Link call centre in Cardiff.

Triumph Business Systems

South Wales Echo is reporting that Triump Business Systems in Abercanaid is making 70 of its staff redundant.

The company have refused to comment on claims from a worker that the staff were notified on December 12.

More info here.