Sad news for Merthyr
Posted on Wednesday, November 19, 2008 at 12:25pm
9 responses
I’m lacking in morale of late, but you get these days in politics- your ups and your downs. It seems that you always have to be on guard and on top of your game in case people throw the unexpected at you. Its not always easy, especially if you are juggling all sorts of things like campaign work, representing constituents, attending committees, meetings and such, but that is the challenge for us all I guess. Some cope better than others too. I only wish that I could be in more than one place at a time to cover the ground that I need to in a day!
Its really sad to see that over 300 jobs could be cut at the Hoover factory in Merthyr. I understand Ieuan Wyn Jones is meeting with the company and the Union’s involved today, and that we are to have a statement in the Assembly also. Regular readers will know that I come from Merthyr. Hoover is part of the heritage of the town, and I grew up proud of that fact. I sincerely hope that there can be negotiations to save the jobs at the factory, but it doesn’t look too favourable at the moment. I can’t explain quite how I feel about the impact that this will have on Merthyr and the wider area.
On another issue, I’ve had a meeting this morning about pleural plaques with the law firm Leo Abse and Cohen. In October 2007 the House of Lords ruled that compensation is no longer available to people with pleural plaques, a scarring of the lungs. This decision brought to an end a right that had existed for over 20 years which allowed those with pleural plaques to recover a sum of money- as some form of compensation. The firm, alongside the GMB have a campaign to repeal this decision. I’m getting involved as I have a constituent with pleural plaques who has raised this matter with me, and so I am hoping to organise an event at the National Assembly in the New Year to brief AMs on this matter, and to make representations to Westminster.
The Scottish Parliament has overturned the ruling, and provides compensation for those with the condition, but we do not have the powers here to emulate that change in policy. If you want to get involved, just leave a comment on this post.
I am set to do an interview for AM PM on anti bullying week this afternoon. I tabled a statement of opinion to mark the week. As someone who was bullied in the not so distant past, I am passionate about raising awareness of this issue, and ensuring that people feel strong enough to stand up to those who actively seek to undermine others.
