Union battles to protect Penman jobs

Yesterday (Thursday 29 September 2016) was a very significant day in the administration of Penman Engineering Limited. Whilst all staff have been working very hard and co-operating fully with the administration team on site to move trading forward the decision had to be taken by the administrators to make 60 staff redundant. Delays in receipt of certain funds from customers meant that the administration did not have the cashflow to maintain a workforce of 75 people, and could not make the various payments to employees at the time normally expected by employees under their contracts of employment. The administrators have been seeking recovery of those funds from customers, and will continue to do so. All staff affected will be kept informed and payments will be made as soon as funds become available.

15 employees have been retained by the administrators to help complete various tasks relating to the collection of remaining debts and the ongoing sale of the business.

This is a worrying time for our members at Penman Engineering. In the coming days and weeks, we will support them, and will work hard to ensure that their rights are respected in this process.

“We will also work hard to protect their jobs. We will work constructively with the company and the administrators, and we call on our elected representatives at council, Holyrood and Westminster level, to do everything they can to help secure a new buyer.

“Scotland can’t afford to lose more high-skilled jobs from the manufacturing sector, and Dumfries & Galloway can’t afford another blow to its economy.”