Black
& Decker is to cut 550 jobs at its Spennymoor plant in County Durham, and
will not be renewing an additional 400 temporary contracts.
The
company said the cuts were needed because of competition from low cost imports
from the Far East.
Some
power tool production currently done at the County Durham plant will move to a
new factory in the Czech Republic where wage costs are lower.
Two
years ago, Black & Decker employed more than 2,300 people at the Spennymoor
plant – after the latest job cuts there will only be 450 staff left.
John
Edmonds, general secretary of the GMB union said the announcement was
"devastating".
"Once
again we see a British company unable to compete with foreign competitors
because they are effectively attempting to do so with one hand tied behind
their backs.
"It
is another example of why there needs to be an early campaign over the single
currency."
