Taskforce to meet staff facing redundancy at Kimberly-Clark plant in Barton
A taskforce established in the wake of the planned closure of the Kimberly-Clark plant in Barton will meet with affected employees today (Thursday, November 1).
Bosses at the firm have announced their intention to close the nappy-making factory next year, with the loss of around 480 jobs.
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FACING CLOSURE: The Kimberley-Clark factory in Barton
The move will deal a blow to Barton's economy, although it comes as business leaders continue to emphasise the positive aspects of the town.
Speaking at Prime Minister's Question Time in response to a question from local MP Martin Vickers on the job losses, David Cameron said the taskforce would do everything it could to help the workers.
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"The Government will give it our support and support our employees to find alternative employment," he said.
The taskforce, which includes North Lincolnshire Council officers, JobCentre Plus and other organisations, was set up after the announcement.
Councillor Liz Redfern, chairwoman of the taskforce, said: "We had a meeting on Friday, October 26 with management and they really want to work with us.
"We have arranged a local task group to go in to have an initial meeting with staff.
"What they mainly do is look at the workforce and put them into categories, as to what help we can tailor to their needs."
Ted Plaziuk, chairman of the Barton Chamber of Trade, said it would be difficult to gauge the economic impact of the planned closure on the town.
He said: "It is going to have an effect, psychologically as much as materially, and it certainly depresses people, that's for sure.
"What effect it is going to have on the economy, it is difficult to tell. Shops will lose some passing trade as there are going to be some people popping into town for various things."
But Mr Plaziuk said the town had benefited in other ways this year, such as with the reduction in Humber Bridge tolls.
And businesses such as fashion stores Coco and Papillon, Age UK and Crazy Card Crafts have all recently opened in the town.
The latest available figures show there were a total of 65 live unfilled vacancies at the Barton JobCentre Plus office in September.
Barton mayor Paul Vickers said: "The Kimberly-Clark news was a bombshell.
"But hopefully people will take confidence from the lower bridge tolls, come and have a look and realise there are now a lot more shops open for business."
Graham Tongue, mill manager at Kimberly-Clark, said: "I am proud of the professionalism with which the workforce reacted to the difficult news we delivered last week.
"The decision made to stop making Huggies nappies was in no way a reflection of mill or employee performance, which has always been excellent.
"We understand how distressing this is for all concerned and have now started the consultation process with all employees and their representatives."
Comments
by povetyman
Saturday, November 03 2012, 2:54PM
“These so calld Task forces serve no purpose except to tell you what benifits you may be able to claim and how to improve your Cv to help try and get a job after youve been made redundant.
As for the migrant workforce they will just move onto another town and bleed that dry they have no commitments in the uk unfortunatly most of the rest will be debted up to the eyeballs and unable to move around to find work.
People in the Real world know the uk isnt really out of recession the figures are just doctored with tempory olympic employment and people who have been forced onto workfare (slave labour) working for there benifits as everybody knows when they are put on one of these schemes they are classed as employed.
When the next set of figures are released in a few monts it will tell the real story.”
by englander61
Saturday, November 03 2012, 1:01PM
“Must agree with HattyTood, "The only people a taskforce keep in work are the taskforce itself. The only thing to do is limit the migrant labor coming into the country making more jobs available to our own workers . And stop immigration we are full and the ship is sinking ,And get out the EU , keep the money in this country to help our own the grants we get from EU is a small part of the cash our government is putting into EU ,”
by Sister_Wendy8
Thursday, November 01 2012, 3:01PM
“I hear the "taskforce" are like Milk Tray men, they're all dressed in black, climb in through your window at night and leave a Claim Pack on your bed. Next week the tooth-fairy will be assisting everyone on how to feed a family on 6d
Thank Heavens for Cllr Redfern and the DWP.”
by Sister_Wendy8
Thursday, November 01 2012, 2:46PM
“"Barton mayor Paul Vickers said: "The Kimberly-Clark news was a bombshell.
"But hopefully people will take confidence from the lower bridge tolls, come and have a look and realise there are now a lot more shops open for business.""
He gets paid for coming out with gibberish like that?! At best it's a non sequitur.
The only way you're guaranteed a high income in Barton is to have the surname Vickers.”
by HattyTood
Thursday, November 01 2012, 2:37PM
“The only people a taskforce keep in work are the taskforce itself.
I wonder how much salary these people are on . . . and how I'd be able to get into such a cushy little number”
by ewbfchamp
Thursday, November 01 2012, 12:28PM
“"The Government will give it our support and support our employees to find alternative employment." May I ask where ? Do these people live in the real world? Where are there almost 400 jobs around this area ? I would be interested to know. What is going to happen to that huge set up in Barton? This is nothing but corporate greed.”