UNITE seeks urgent talks to save Waterford jobs

The UNITE trade union is seeking an urgent meeting with management at Waterford Wedgwood following the announcement that the troubled company has gone into receivership.

Some of the group's Irish and UK subsidiaries will also be placed into administration.

The luxury goods firm, which employs 800 people in Ireland, says exhaustive efforts had been made to restructure the business and it remains optimistic that a buyer can be found.

UNITE regional secretary Jimmy Kelly says the news is devastating for the local area and every effort must be made to save jobs.