Allstate reports ‘minimal’ job losses for Strabane

ALLSTATE has reportedly suggested that forthcoming local redundancies will be ‘minimal,’ during a meeting with politicians.

Sinn Féin MP Orfhlaith Begley, MLA Maolíosa McHugh and independent councillor, Raymond Barr were among political representatives to have spoken with Allstate MD Stephen McKeown on Tuesday in relation to redundancies.

Concerns had been aired in recent weeks that the company may be planning to retreat from Strabane altogeher, after a whilstleblower claimed mass redundencies were already underway.

However, following Tuesday’s meeting, the West Tyrone Sinn Féin representatives said that while they welcomed the opportunity to meet with Mr McKeown it remained a ‘worrying and difficult time’ for all the workforce.

A joint statement from Orfhlaith Begley, MLA Maolíosa McHugh stated, “Whilst Mr McKeown would not quantify exactly how many of the company’s 700-strong work force between Strabane and Derry would be affected, he stated that redundancies locally would be minimal.

“Mr McKeown stated workers affected would be offered ‘enhanced’ redundancy packages whilst for others there would be opportunities for retraining / up-skilling as part of this process.”

The Sinn Fein delegation also called on the company to release a detailed breakdown on how the current global restructuring would impact the local workforce and to re-affirm their commitment to the North West.

The statement concluded, “We also pressed the company to ensure that all its workforce is being kept informed and consulted with in relation to on-going developments and ensure workers’ rights are being fully upheld.”

Also meeting with Mr McKeown on Tuesday was Cllr Raymond Barr. He had previously accused Allstate of telling a “pack of lies” about their commitment to Strabane.

Cllr Barr said after the meeting, “I come away from my meeting with Mr McKeown neither enthused nor optimistic.

“I welcome his clarification that wholesale redundancies are not being made… but when pressed as to how many people locally will
lose their job, he insisted that
the company doesn’t deal in specifics.

“Mr McKeown was also critical of all the negative press surrounding the company in recent weeks (but) I pointed out that it was his staff that came to myself and the Chronicle to air their grievances and, had Allstate come out and been transparent when first contacted, then there wouldn’t have been a need for the situation to have rumbled on this long.”

He concluded by saying, “Whilst I am glad that talk of mass redundancies within Allstate are off the mark, any jobs lost within Strabane, given the economic underdevelopment in the area, is far from good.”