170 sales, admin & other staff who have been working at the former crystal manufacturting site of Waterford in Kilbarry, since US investor KPS Capital took over the Waterford Wedgwood Group in March, have been served with 30 days notice & will lose their jobs. The workers had been kept on as part of a 6m transitional arrangmeent agreed when KPS took over the majority of the group's assets March/09. The banks placed its parent, Waterford Wedgwood, in receivership Jan/09, when the Irish firm employed 408 staff in Waterford. A spokesman for the union, UNITE, confirmed the workers had been given notice adding that it was a "sad day for the area & for Ireland," as it means it is unlikely crystal making will start up again. US-KPS intends to continue making Waterford Crystal through licensed sub- contractors, mainly in eastern EU countries where labour & other costs are lower.
