Salmond hits out at factory closure 'injustice'

Published on Friday 18 September 2009 09:54

FIRST Minister Alex Salmond has agreed the 500 workers set to lose their jobs at Livingston's Bausch & Lomb contact lens factory are facing an "injustice".

The US-based company announced earlier this month it was closing the factory and concentrating its activities in the US and Ireland.

At First Minister's Questions yesterday, Livingston SNP MSP Angela Constance asked Mr Salmond to guarantee the Scottish Government would continue to explore all options with a view to saving the jobs in Livingston.

She said: "Does he agree there is a real injustice to the 500-strong workforce who have been absolutely crucial to the success of Bausch & Lomb in Livingston?"

Mr Salmond said: "I do agree with that. We are all hugely disappointed Bausch & Lomb reached this decision. It is clearly no reflection on the skilled and valued workforce in Livingston.

"We have made every effort to offer alternatives and explore every option in relation to both future use of the site and to support the workforce affected."

He said a team from Scottish Development International had been to Bausch &Lomb headquarters in Rochester, New York, with two proposals which would have kept Livingston in production.