Fear for jobs at Ballinasloe

There are growing fears of redundancies at the Ballinasloe factory of the US pen manufacturing company, A.T. Cross

There are growing fears of redundancies at the Ballinasloe factory of the US pen manufacturing company, A.T. Cross. The Irish board of the company is to meet tomorrow to hear a report on the parent company's plans.

A.T. Cross had intended to locate production of a new graphic pen for use with PCs at Ballinasloe but subsequently scrapped the product line. The company employs about 150 people in the Co Galway town and pays comparatively good rates of £220 to £260 a week.

No comment was available from the company last night but local SIPTU branch secretary Ms Tish Gibbons said that she expected to meet the company after tomorrow's meeting.