Sad news for Merthyr
Posted on Wednesday, November 19, 2008 at 12:25pm
11 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.
11 Responses to “Sad news for Merthyr” [latest first]
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Bethan, you are a remarkable person that you have become strong enough to rise above the bullying and are prepared to help others which makes you a far stronger person and head and shoulders above the cowards who try to intimidate and undermine someone. Good for you and don’t give in to them.
Regarding Hoovers, I hope Ieuan Wyn Jones will be prepared for certain AMs blaming him if things don’t work out for the workforce.
Bethan
It looks like Huw Lewis is already starting to put Ieuan Wyn Jones in line as the fall guy if things don’t work out for Hoovers.
Western Mail today. He, IWJ must go to Italy to meet owners “It must Happen”. (Must he go to Germany as well and every other country where the owners of companies whose workforces are being affected he doesn’t say). The Assembly Government meaning IWJ must bring 5000 jobs to Merthyr, lol, as that was how many were working there originaly. Not thinking of course or perhapes even caring about the rest of Wales, what a great leader of the Labour Party he would make.
HL then says,He has already made it clear to the Senior management that the Assembly will do all in it’s power to save the maximum number of jobs. With respect what can the Assembly do it is the Assembly Government who is in charge of that
Then to top it all he tries to absolve himself of blame by stating ” It would be unfair and irresponsible of me to raise hopes and expectations about over what might be done or achieved. He then goes on to say about difficult and testing times and that the Assembly Government will be imaginative and decisive and swift in it’s response. He does realise these problems are happening all over the country does he
Be prepared there is probably more of his blame tactic to come.
As one of Huws constituents, I feel the last poster is being unfair. I dont agree with everything he says but it is clear he genuinley cares about the future of Hoover and teh people that work there.
This is about peoples lives, not political point scoring!
Roger you may be laughing but the workers at Hoover are not. Huw Lewis is doing his best as the constituency member to make sure the minister responsible IWJ does all that is humanly possible to help these workers at this difficult time.
Roger, have you ever been made redundant? I’m guessing not from your comments above. Ieuan Wyn Jones, Huw Lewis and people from all parties presented a good cross-party consensus in the siambr yesterday about the way forward. I heard the radio coverage yesterday morning and again people from all parties were agreeing about what needed to be done. What is it you find so strange about the idea that an Economic Development Minister meet the people who make the decisions about hundreds of Welsh jobs? I don’t see this as a party political issue at all and it is a bit offensive to all involved to say that it is. I cannot believe that Bethan would agree with your take on this, particularly when you laugh at the idea of 5000 jobs being created in Merthyr. In truth it needs about five times that amount to restore the area.
Roger seems surprised that Huw Lewis is speaking up for his constituents. No one is trying to blame anyone, IWJ is the minister concerned and Huw is asking for as much practical help from the Assembly as possible.
I suggest Bethan that you distance yourself from Rogers’s idiotic comments immediately, peoples lively hoods are at risk and partisan rubbish like that is unhelpful.
The issue is that we have to talk to the company to see what can be done. I’m not willing to get in to a debate about any tensions between Huw Lewis and Ieuan as this isn’t at all important to the debate on securing jobs at Hoover, and yes, creating more opportunities for those in the area for the future.
My friend (who is a fellow student studying politics) pointed this out to me. I never read the blogs and this is why.
Who is this Roger guy? I’m no expert but it seems to me this is typical…
Peoples cynisim about politics is annoying, it seems Lewis was only doing his best by the people who elected him. Nothing to do with the leadership…and it would be quite wrong at this stage to comment on job losses outside his area.
I’m glad you’ve distanced himself from his comments Bethan…or have I misread your last post?
Iwan, yes I have been made redundant, well pushed out with medical severence as part of the pre-redundancy 11 years ago from a well paid job and lost a great deal of money and an active life because of it and I haven’t been able to work since, so I am not laughing. The lol was to the statement of 5000 jobs for Merthyr. Come on, you tell me where they are going to come from, as well as the job creation that will be needed in other parts of Wales. Don’t forget this is on top of getting the sick and disabled and the already unemployed back in work. I think perhapes you should acctualy read what I said and compare it to the statement in the Western Mail.
As for being idiotic that is a disparaging remark made about people with mental illnes who have to live with that sort of categorisation and stigma on a daily basis and I am sure Bethan will certainly distance herself from that remark.
Yes, it is a bitter and devastating blow for Merthyr, but they are not alone in this prediciment, there are many in Wales needing the same help, a few in my own family facing the same threat, but as I have already said read the statements without any bias thoughts.
Roger why were you laughing about Huw’s laudable statement regarding more jobs for his constituency.
Secondly you state that Merthyr will not be alone in this prediciment, can you not grasp the simple fact that Huw is the AM for the area and him not demanding the most support possible would be ridiculous.
I am sorry to hear about your mental health problems, but that does not make your comments less idiotic.
Craig Williams
Forgive me for not lowering myself to your level with personal comments.
I will state for you once again, my use of the lol expression was to Huw Lewis demanding 5000 jobs for Merthyr, I refer you back to my previous entries for my explanation as to why I used it, for which incidentally you don’t seem to have a rational answer. It is said that when someone has lost or has no intelligent argument to give, they resort to personal abuse or bullying.
Yes, I can grasp the simple fact that Huw Lewis or Huw as you call him, as is Bethan Jenkins, the elected AM for their respective constituencies and as such they should both demand the most support possible for their constituents, but, they are also elected to The National Assembly for Wales and as such have a greater responsibility to the running of our Nation as a whole, not just to one part of it. Huw Lewis also has aspirations to become Leader of the Labour Party and probably First Minister of Wales I believe.
In your previous post you say I am partisan, to whom do you allude I am partisan . I have no political axe to grind, so I am intrigued. I wonder where your partisan loyalties lie.
As for your concern for my having Mental Health problems. I can’t fathom out how you can assume I have such an illness, (I have never suffered with it myself, but I do have thirty years of first hand experience of it ) as I would have thought saying about ‘my loss of an active life ‘would have been self explanatory, (like physical problems).
Which probably just goes to show you still haven’t read what I have actually said. Unless you are intimating my comments could only come from someone who has Mental Illness. If that is the case, then shame on you and shame also for using once again the word idiotic. I suppose it goes to show the type of person you are. I hope the last comment has not lowered my usual high standards regarding respect for other peoples views. I apologise to Bethan Jenkins for using her blogg in replying to Craig Williams.