Talks over 'black week' job cuts

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Urgent talks have been set up by the MP for a town hit by the threat of nearly 90 job losses in the space of a week.

Posts are likely to be lost in Hawick at bedding firm Slumberdown, telecoms company Emtelle and VW car dealership Thornwood Motors.

MP Michael Moore said it was a "black week" for the town which needed action to help, not just "sympathetic noises".

He is due in Hawick to hold talks with constituents who have been affected by the redundancies.

Slumberdown confirmed on Wednesday that it was seeking 38 voluntary redundancies.

The immediate priority must be support for the individuals and families who are affected Michael Moore MP It followed news that Emtelle was looking to shed 35 posts and Thornwood Motors was going into liquidation with the loss of 16 jobs.

"These desperate announcements make this one of the worst weeks for the Borders economy that we have seen in a long time," said Mr Moore.

"The immediate priority must be support for the individuals and families who are affected."

He said it was vital that the council, Scottish and UK governments worked together to help Hawick and the wider Borders economy.

"It is not good enough for ministers to make sympathetic noises - they must actually deliver the assistance that companies need," he said.

'Hit hard'

Meanwhile, the issue was raised at First Minister's Questions in the Scottish Parliament by Tory MSP John Lamont, who warned of a "growing jobs crisis".

"Gordon Brown's recession is hitting my constituency very hard," he said.

He asked the first minister to set out what his government was doing to address the problem.

Alex Salmond replied that "many constituencies and many workers and many factories are going to face similar situations across the country".

But he said there was "widespread support" for the recovery plan being pursued by the Scottish Government, adding: "This administration will do everything within its power to protect families and businesses across the country as they face the ravages of recession."