The title “Bortex fires Maltese, hires Chinese” did not reflect the accurate content in the text of an article published last week stating that Chinese owned Leisure Clothing Ltd intends to relocate its activities from its plant in Corradino to one of the plants previously used by Bortex at Bulebel.
It is therefore not the case that Bortex, which has announced it will be laying off workers due to foreign competitive pressures, hired or intends to hire any Chinese workers.
The facts are that Bortex, as announced by it publicly and in detail, will be laying off 113 workers to close its loss-making production line, and, in agreement with the GWU, will give the redundant workers an ex gratia payment for every one year of service. Bortex will retain 119 employees in high value added activities in connection with its continued activities as an international distributor of garments.
For the past 15 to 20 years Bortex has sub-contracted work to Leisure Clothing Ltd, a company which currently employs 73 Chinese and 25 Maltese workers. Bortex plans to continue to subcontract to Leisure Clothing work which was not at all connected with the production line it will be closing down. Thereby Lm2 million of output will be exported annually.
Leisure Clothing Ltd has expressed the intention to apply to Malta Enterprise to allow it to relocate to the factory in Bulebel which eventually will be vacated by Bortex in connection with the termination of its production line.
In regard to the Chinese workers at Leisure Clothing Ltd, MaltaToday stands by its report that these are legally employed and benefit from minimum conditions set by Maltese law, but their lodging expenses are deducted from their wages.
It is therefore not the case that Bortex, which has announced it will be laying off workers due to foreign competitive pressures, hired or intends to hire any Chinese workers.
The facts are that Bortex, as announced by it publicly and in detail, will be laying off 113 workers to close its loss-making production line, and, in agreement with the GWU, will give the redundant workers an ex gratia payment for every one year of service. Bortex will retain 119 employees in high value added activities in connection with its continued activities as an international distributor of garments.
For the past 15 to 20 years Bortex has sub-contracted work to Leisure Clothing Ltd, a company which currently employs 73 Chinese and 25 Maltese workers. Bortex plans to continue to subcontract to Leisure Clothing work which was not at all connected with the production line it will be closing down. Thereby Lm2 million of output will be exported annually.
Leisure Clothing Ltd has expressed the intention to apply to Malta Enterprise to allow it to relocate to the factory in Bulebel which eventually will be vacated by Bortex in connection with the termination of its production line.
In regard to the Chinese workers at Leisure Clothing Ltd, MaltaToday stands by its report that these are legally employed and benefit from minimum conditions set by Maltese law, but their lodging expenses are deducted from their wages.
