Terex workers facing ‘months of uncertainty’

WORKERS at a number of Terex plants throughout Tyrone are said to be seriously concerned about the uncertainty facing them over the coming months after the announcement that the company is about to lay-off dozens of employees.

A week ago, it emerged that the global manufacturing firm is proposing more that 100 job cuts in Tyrone. It currently has sites in Omagh, Dungannon and throughout the North.

In a statement, Terex said there has been a reduced demand for its screening and crushing equipment, which is exported across the world. The firm added that it understands that this is an ‘unsettling time’ for its workers in Tyrone and elsewhere.

Mid Ulster independent councillor, Dan Kerr, said he had been contacted by workers at Terex who are worried about keeping their jobs or not.

‘Hugely disappointing’

Mr Kerr said that the news of potential job losses at Terex was ‘hugely disappointing’.

“I’ve contacted Mid Ulster Council asking them to initiate contact with Terex to see what we can do as a local authority to try and minimise potential job losses and use as much influence as possible to try and improve this grave situation,” he said.

“I also intend to raise this again at July’s full council meeting as this is a very worrying trend across the engineering and manufacturing industry locally.

“Workers deserve better and do not need to be thrown to the scrapheap at the first signs of trouble.”

Meanwhile, it is understood that no response has yet been forthcoming in relation to a potential of a meeting between management at Terex and the three Sinn Féin MPs who cover Tyrone.

Pat Cullen in Fermanagh and South Tyrone, Cathal Mallaghan in Mid-Ulster and Orfhlaith Begley in West Tyrone have requested an urgent meeting with the firm to discuss the potential redundancies.