The shipyard that assembled the "Titanic" saved from bankruptcy

A veritable institution in Northern Ireland, the shipyard, which employed more than 30,000 people in the early 20th century, has declined steadily in recent decades and now numbers only about 130 employees.

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The site's employees had been on the site for nine weeks, a move that Uniten union regional coordinator Susan Fitzgerald "will remember in future generations as proof of the power of collective action."
The site's employees had been on the site for nine weeks, a move that Uniten union regional coordinator Susan Fitzgerald "will remember in future generations as proof of the power of collective action." PAUL FAITH / AFP

The shipyard Harland and Wolff, known for having built the Titanic, was saved from bankruptcy thanks to its acquisition for 6 million pounds sterling (6.8 million euros) by the British energy infrastructure company Infrastrata. He had placed in receivership in August.

A true institution in Northern Ireland, the shipyard, which employed more than 30,000 people at the beginning of the XXe century, has declined steadily over the last few decades and now has only about 130 employees. The site's employees had occupied the site for nine weeks, a move that, for Susan Fitzgerald, regional coordinator of the Uniten union, "Will be remembered by future generations as proof of the power of collective action".

Seventy-nine of those who did not participate in the voluntary redundancy plan will keep their jobs, said the reseller Infrastrata in a statement released Tuesday. The group, which specializes in gas storage and distribution, plans to increase the number of employees by several hundred over the next five years.

Building created in 1861

"I think the shipyard has a promising future and that Infrastrata's projects are a great opportunity, both for the manufacturing and energy sectors in Belfast and Northern Ireland"said, enthusiastic, Julian Smith, Minister responsible for Northern Ireland, about the buyout.

Created in 1861, he built the famous liner Titanic, which sank in April 1912 off Newfoundland, on its maiden voyage between Britain and New York, killing more than 1,500 of its 2,200 passengers. The site also provided nearly 150 warships during the Second World War.

The company then moved away from the shipbuilding industry and until recently had worked mostly in wind energy and marine engineering projects. The site's employees are expected to participate in work on an underground gas storage site on the Islandmagee Peninsula.

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