Corus job cuts bitter blow to Teesside families

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 25th Jun 2009

Commenting on the news that Corus is axing more than 400 jobs on Teesside, Lib Dem MEP Fiona Hall, who met with Corus management and union representatives earlier this month, said:

"The news that Corus is to cut 423 jobs in the North East is a bitter blow to families in the region and to the management and unions that have been working very hard to avoid job losses.

"The effect of the global recession, and particularly the downturn in the automotive and construction sectors, continues to hit demand for steel very hard.

"Today's news adds to the ongoing and separate uncertainty over Teesside Cast Products which I continue to monitor very closely.

"It is important now that those who have lost their jobs have the necessary support from the response group to help them back into work, retrain or use further education opportunities. I trust that the Government will allow the region to access the European Globalisation Fund, which is designed to help fund such support, if the necessary criteria are fulfilled."