Protest over 'march of the Hampshire makers to the dole queues' on November 14 at BBC question time in Portsmouth

GMB will hold a mass picket outside the BBC Question Time on Thursday 14th November from 6pm at Portsmouth Grammar School, Old Portsmouth over the announcements of manufacturing job losses in Hampshire this week.

Yesterday (7 November) news leaked that 300 jobs would be lost at Polimeri Europa synthetic rubber plant in Hythe near Southampton. Polimeri is an Italian-owned firm, which is a subsidiary of Versalis (Eni). The site manufactures emulsion-based polymers which mainly supply the tyre and moulded foam industries and it has been in Hythe for more than 50 years.

At a presentation with GMB on 6th November there was no indication of job losses. See notes to editors for company statement to media.

Nicola Nixon, Regional Organiser, said:

“GMB is furious at the manner in which large scale job losses in Polimeri in Hythe were made public yesterday. This is a brutal way to inform loyal staff of the closure of the plant. This site has been such a huge part of the Hythe community for over 50 years.

This was the second major manufacturing job losses in Hampshire in days. The march of the makers to the dole queues continue. What sort of recovery is this underway in UK? We have seen steel, shipbuilding, glass and now rubber jobs go due to lack of demand.

GMB intend to do all we can to protect the jobs of our members. GMB is calling for an urgent meeting of members at Polimeri in order to assess the situation and to consult them on the issue and ensure that the Company meets its legal obligations.

GMB also intend to picket BBC Question Time in Portsmouth next week to deliver a strong message to the Government that manufacturing in Hampshire needs to be protected.”