Crockart takes a stand on Newbridge job losses

18 November 2009

Mike Crockart, Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Edinburgh West has today pledged to fight to save jobs at Chivas Brothers whisky bottling plant in Newbridge and slammed SNP plans for minimum pricing for alcohol for ignoring the concerns of the whisky industry.

Workers at Chivas Brothers were told yesterday that the company planned to sell the plant to the Benriach Distillery Company at the cost of almost 80 jobs.

The workforce at Newbridge will be slashed from 103 to just 24.

Mike Crockart said:

“This is dreadful news for employees so close to Christmas – I will be working closely with John Barrett MP, Margaret Smith MSP and the local Liberal Democrat council to do all we can to safeguard jobs at the plant and to ensure that employees who are made redundant receive proper compensation.

“The chronic mismanagement of the economy by Labour has cost thousands of jobs across the country. The fact that we are still in recession while so many of our neighbours have returned to growth makes further job losses far more likely.

“The SNP must shoulder some responsibility for today’s announcement. Their misguided minimum pricing on alcohol will have no impact on drinking habits but will have a devastating affect on the drinks industry.”

“We need Westminster and Holyrood to take responsibility and stand up for the interests and livelihoods of workers in Newbridge.”