A DIRECTOR of knitwear company Pringle will be closely questioned by
civic leaders today over the decision to close the firm's Arbroath
factory with the loss of 221 jobs.
Local politicians have criticised Pringle for giving no warning of
last week's closure announcement.
Dawson International plc, which owns Pringle, made the decision as
part of a jobs cutting exercise across Scotland.
Arbroath already suffers an unemployment rate of nearly 15%, the
highest in Tayside.
The Tayside Major Redundancies Response Group will meet Mr Stewart
Raeburn, a director at Pringle of Scotland, to discuss the situation.
Mr John Dorward, Tayside region's convener of economic development,
said: ''It is vital that all the relevant agencies meet the company and
discuss how best to proceed in the interest of those whose livelihoods
are being affected.
He added: ''I am anxious to enter into negotiations which could be of
use to the workers affected by this announcement.''
Mr Raeburn said: ''We are happy to support this initiative in meeting
the Tayside Response Group.''
The managing director and chairman of the company are unable to attend
the meeting. But Mr Raeburn added they ''will take a keen interest in
the discussions and their outcome''.
Mr Raeburn will be asked to explain the background to the closure
decision.
The local MP, Mr Andrew Welsh, will meet Scottish Industry Minister
George Kynoch next Monday to discuss the closure.
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