AROUND 125 jobs are in the balance at one of the largest firms in Pendle.

Buoyant Upholstery bosses refused to comment today on news that the jobs are to be axed at its Nelson factory.

Officials from the GMB union regional office in Manchester will meet with managers at the firm's Hallam Road offices on Tuesday.

It is understood workers have been told the jobs are to be axed but not which departments will be hit. The announcement was originally to have officially been made on Monday but was postponed by management.

Nobody was said to be available to comment at Buoyant today despite the firm being approached on several occasions. The GMB would only confirm that officials were due to meet with the firm on Tuesday and could not give any other details until that meeting had taken place.

A local industry expert said: "It is only a reflection of the state of the industry at the moment. Normally this time of year firms would be pulling out the stops. Everyone used to want to buy new three-piece suites for Christmas but not any more."

In August Buoyant announced more than 20 job losses and the closure of two satellite units in the town. Production was switched to the Hallam Road site.

A dozen temporary nightshift workers at Lear Corporation, Spring Gardens Mill, Colne, formerly John Cotton, are to be laid off from Monday following a downturn in fortunes at Rover, a major customer. The firm, which makes interior upholstery for a number of car manufacturers, said the losses would not affect the rest of its 337 full-time workers.

"Temporary workers are taken on to deal with the ebbs and flows in business," explained plant manager Martin Spiers. "Nationally people are reacting to the uncertainty at Rover."

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