Concern over job losses in manufacturing sector

CONTINUING job losses in the manufacturing sector are “a major cause for concern,” the Small Firms Association (SFA) said yesterday.

The SFA said official figures on the level of job losses showed more than 900 manufacturing jobs were lost last month, bringing the total number this year to over 7,000. But more than 20,000 jobs have been lost in the economy as a whole. SFA director Pat Delaney said jobs in exposed sectors, such as manufacturing, were still being eroded in the face of cost pressures and the total number of job losses for the year as a whole would hit 23,000.

Mr Delaney blamed deteriorating cost competitiveness for the 30,000 job losses in manufacturing and production over the last three years. The total number employed in manufacturing stands at about 300,000.