Fear over 'end of era' at Hoover

Workers assemble outside Hoover before their march in Merthyr town centre

Kevin Leonard
BBC news website

Brothers Gareth and Malcolm Williams have worked at the Hoover factory in Merthyr Tydfil for a combined 72 years.

They are angry at the threat of closure which hangs over 337 workers, possibly more, at the washing machine plant.

Gareth Williams, one of 200 on Friday's march, said: "It's terrible. It's fed a lot of families in this borough, Aberdare and all over the borough.

"For this to close is disgusting, especially for the youngsters we've got here.

I'm probably too young to retire and I'm going to struggle to find work

Colin Reddy

"What they've offered us is disgusting really - it's pittance."

Colin Reddy, 53, is from Merthyr and has worked at the plant for 22 years.

He said he'd heard nothing official from the company but unions had talked about a possible final date of 27 February or 13 March.

"It's devastating. I'm working there, my son is working there - both out of work and he's got a mortgage and a young child.

"At 53, I'm probably too young to retire and I'm going to struggle to find work like a lot of people here."

Assembly line worker Margaret Jones, 49, from Merthyr, said it was important to fight to protect the jobs.

She said: "It's not only for Hoover, it's for Merthyr itself. All the places that have shut here - it's incredible.

"It's for my grandchildren. They're going to live in Merthyr and there's nothing here for them. My father worked here in the 70s, it was the best place to work here. It's the end of an era."

I haven't got any qualifications - I came here straight after leaving school

Ian Whitcombe

Ray Parry, who has worked at the factory for 35 years, echoed the views of many workers when he said he was concerned about how few well-paid jobs might be available locally.

He said the proposal to end production at the site was "just terrible" and there was little that could be done now to save it.

Assembly line worker Ian Whitcombe, 21, who has been at the plant for four years, feared he would find it difficult to find a new job.

"I can't believe it is going. I'll grab what I can and see whatever is out there," he said. "I haven't got any qualifications - I came here straight after leaving school.

"There's people who have been there much longer than me getting hardly anything out of it."

Local councillor Brent Carter said: "It's not just a factory, it's an icon, it's an iconic building. It's the first thing you see when you come into Merthyr.

"I worked here myself for a couple of months when I left school and my mother worked here for 27 years.

"If nothing comes from today hopefully something else will come here instead. It would be a massive blow."

A 90-day consultation period on the plans is due to come to an end next month.

Hoover has said a final decision has not been taken but it can no longer make competitively priced items at the site.