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Bausch & Lomb Making 500 Scots Redundant

tangsmantangsman Posts: 3,661
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in Politics #1
US eyecare company Bausch & Lomb have today decided to close a factory in West Lothian, Scotland with the loss of 500 jobs.

I wonder if this has anything to do with recent US/Scots relationship problems?

I feel for the people affected and hope they find alternative employment quickly.

As a proud Scot I'll be looking for a new contact lens solution provider.

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    fi~fi~ Posts: 5,481
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    #2
    tangsman wrote: »

    I wonder if this has anything to do with recent US/Scots relationship problems?

    .

    dont think so, they made a lot of people redundant about 18 months ago and shut down one of the sites they had in livingston, the majority of the people who kept their jobs had to go onto continental shifts
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,542
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    #3
    doubtful, as fi~ says they've already made people redundant a couple of years back, i know a guy who sadly was one of them

    More likely they are just either
    a) bailing because the subsidies / advantages our stupid country pays them have ran out, or
    b) closing a UK factory because we make it so damn easy for them over here
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    Radio RuderhamRadio Ruderham Posts: 13,776
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    #4
    Bausch and Lomb
    One of their engineers held the patent for the original anamorphic lenses
    for 20th Century Fox's
    CinemaScope format in the early 1950's.
    Just thought I'd mention that.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 8,464
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    #5
    It could just be because of this thing called the recession, people have been loosing jobs all over the UK, I don't think it's a snide attack on the Scots ;)
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    tiggertinytiggertiny Posts: 5,361
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    #6
    Probably won't do much to bolster support for the SNP independence agenda - unfortunately.
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    Scalper JackScalper Jack Posts: 4,734
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    #7
    The opposite could be said.

    From what I read the corporate tax in Ireland is 12.5%, compared with 28% in Scotland/UK.
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    Lucem FerreLucem Ferre Posts: 8,224
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    #8
    tangsman wrote: »
    US eyecare company Bausch & Lomb have today decided to close a factory in West Lothian, Scotland with the loss of 500 jobs.

    I wonder if this has anything to do with recent US/Scots relationship problems?

    Could do.

    Seems a shame that the man on the street, yet again, has to pay the price for the lamentable actions of their elected representatives.
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    skp20040skp20040 Posts: 66,874
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    #9
    Lucem Ferre wrote: »
    Could do.

    Seems a shame that the man on the street, yet again, has to pay the price for the lamentable actions of their elected representatives.

    B&L have chosen to close one of its three factories i nthat divison, they have also cut jobs in the Waterford factory as well.

    It was announced back in 2006 that they were to make changes so I dont think it has anything to do with the current situation.

    http://www.biospace.com/news_story.aspx?NewsEntityId=30537

    They also lost a hell of a lot of money over the ReNu scandal back at that time as well .
    http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/health/2006-04-11-renu-infections_x.htm
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    Scalper JackScalper Jack Posts: 4,734
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    #10
    HUNDREDS OF job losses at a high-tech manufacturing plant are the result of [Labour] politicians letting down the country, business leaders said yesterday.

    McDougall (West Lothian Chamber of Commerce CEO) said: "It is disappointing that during recent years Alistair Darling, Iain Gray, Jim Devine, Margaret Hodge and Michael Connarty [all Labour AFAIK] all had opportunities to influence changes that might have helped businesses like Bausch & Lomb to stay in West Lothian.

    Chamber president Duncan M Walker told the Sunday Herald that the American firm's decision was a "no-brainer" given the savings that they could make by producing in Ireland, where their factory is situated in an RSA area. Firms in RSA areas can access grants of up to 35% towards investment that will create jobs in vulnerable communities.

    More...

    http://www.sundayherald.com/news/heraldnews/display.var.2529381.0.furious_business_leaders_blame_politicians_for_latest_job_losses.php
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