Trades Council Chair warns over Fujitsu impact saying Derry's been '˜fed a diet of empty promises'

The Chair of the Derry Trades Union Council Liam Gallagher has expressed concern at Fujitsu's announcement that it plans to reduce 1,800 jobs across the United Kingdom, warning this could have serious implications for the firm's Derry office, which employs almost 250 people.
Liam Gallagher, Derry Trades Union. (DER5314MC091)Liam Gallagher, Derry Trades Union. (DER5314MC091)
Liam Gallagher, Derry Trades Union. (DER5314MC091)

“Fujitsu’s recent announcement that it intends to cut jobs globally and that there will be an impact on the Derry office once again flags up the poor state of the North West economy,” said Mr Gallagher.

“Derry and Strabane’s employment prospects remain doggedly low despite improvements east of the Bann.

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“While we welcome Simon Hamilton’s £5.6m investment with 100 new jobs and the Assembly’s £7m package for City of Derry Airport, particularly the maintenance depot, the fact remains that our overall economy is in terminal decline.

“Derry has been fed a diet of empty promises with plans such as 2020 Vision and the One Plan. Those were shelved or just ignored. Derry and Strabane Council have now formulated a regeneration plan and if it is implemented they propose to spend £3.5billion on capital expenditure and create 10,000 jobs by 2020.

“Nearly ten years ago the One Plan aspired to create 20,000 jobs by 2020 but there was never the political will to match the aspiration with the necessary investment and unless we get our local politicians particularly to stop deluding themselves that the economy is doing well and recognising that they must match those aspirations with investment they must get definite commitments that money will be ring-fenced to arrest the dramatic decline in the North West economy. The alternative will be that Derry will no longer be the second city in Northern Ireland and more and more young people with talent will leave the city.”