competition, page-3

REDUNDANCY PACKAGE IS 'VERY FAIR' SAYS IMERYS

09:00 - 13 September 2006
Clay company Imerys this week insisted that the redundancy package it is offering employees affected by its major restructuring is "very fair".

The china clay giant announced in July that it would be axing up to 800 jobs from its operations in Cornwall and Devon.

But following discussions the number of jobs to be lost has fallen to around 600.

Most will be lost at the company's works in and around St Austell. Changes include the closure of Blackpool Pit in Trewoon and Par Docks.

They are being made after the company revealed it had been hit by a combination of high energy prices, strong competition and a weak dollar.

Imerys bosses have been meeting with trade union officials since the announcement as part of a 90-day consultation process.

This week they said they had now come up with a final redundancy package offer.

UK operations director Ashley Shopland said he felt it was "very fair".

"Since the announcement we have had eight meetings with the trade unions and we have now come up with an improved offer that has been on the table now since our last meeting three weeks ago.

"We consider it to be a very fair package and if you compare it with other companies it is quite generous."

Mr Shopland said that for an average employee, aged 46 and with 22 years' service, the offer would provide around £18,000.

He said that for many employees that was more than a year's net pay after deductions.

He said: "If you add to that the fact that most people will not leave the company until October or November 2007 they will be getting another year's earnings as well.