Groups unite to tackle jobs crisis
Wednesday March 03 2010
An historic amalgamation of business and trade union representatives has been formed in Sligo to combat the ever worsening recession, which has claimed three prominent retail businesses in recent weeks.
Following the sudden closures of shops such as Vero Moda, Adams and Warehouse, with the loss of up to twenty jobs, the Fair Dealer Campaign, Sligo Chamber and the Sligo Council of Trade Unions have come together to call an emergency open meeting to discuss the difficulties facing Sligo's business community.
The meeting the Glass House Hotel tomorrow night, Thursday, will hear calls for decisive and collective action to be taken to deal with the crisis which is challenging businesses in the Sligo area and which the organisers warn will most likely result in the closure of numerous businesses in the coming months.
They warn that great harm will be done to Sligo's role as a retailing and tourist centre and indeed its economy as a whole, if more businesses are forced to close down and the city centre continues to look empty and deserted.
Founder of the Fair Dealer campaign Phelim O'Neil says that "retail businesses are facing a perfect storm" of high rents, cross border shopping and people having less money to spend because of government cut backs.
"We identified prior to Christmas that many retail businesses in Sligo would be forced to close early in the New Year as a result of cross border shopping. Since then Sligo has already lost hundreds of jobs in the retail sector and business closure is evident on every street in the town. We are now seriously concerned that many more businesses will also face closure over the next couple of months if something is not done," Mr. O'Neil added.
Hugh MacConville, Chairman of Sligo Council of Trade Unions, pointing out that retail and services were the biggest employer in Sligo, said the Council was very concerned that Sligo would continue to haemorrhage jobs unless something was done.
"Fair wages and fair rents will mean that money will stay in circulation and keep jobs and business going," he said.
Fergal Burke, President of Sligo Chamber, has called upon everyone involved in business, including those who work in the public sector, to attend the meeting. He also called for the development agencies and the local authorities to join business people and workers in this effort.
The meeting, which is open to all and will run from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., will be addressed by Mayor of Sligo Cllr. Jim McGarry; President of Sligo Chamber, Mr. Fergal Burke; Chairman of Sligo Council of Trade Unions, Hugh MacConville and Fair Dealer Founder, Phelim O'Neill.
- JIM GRAY
