AMAZON JOBS JOY
60 new roles to be created
West Lothian is set for a jobs boost following news that Amazon will take on new staff at its Bathgate base.
The multinational company announced in August that 10,000 new permanent and 20,000 seasonal roles are being created across the UK in 2020, taking the firm’s total permanent workforce in the country to more than 40,000.
Currently there are 90 full- time employees at their delivery and sorting centre in Bathgate but Amazon told The Courier they plan to have 150 staff in place before the end of this year.
Seasonal staff will also be hired during the festive period and they will recruit over 200 people for Bathgate during the winter months on a temporary basis.
Throughout Scotland, they will create more than 300 additional permanent roles by the end of this year and more than 2000 seasonal positions.
The new roles in the UK will include engineers, graduates, HR and IT professionals, health and safety and finance specialists, as well as the teams who will pick, pack and ship customer orders.
And the new West Lothian jobs have been welcomed by the area’s politicians.
Labour list MSP for Lothian, Neil Findlay, said:“In the current climate it is of course good that we see jobs being created. These should be permanent jobs with fair pay and conditions. I hope that Amazon will ensure that all its workers are treated with dignity and respect.”
Linlithgow MSP, Fiona Hyslop, said:“With the public health crisis becoming an economic crisis and with so much job uncertainty for many people it is good to see jobs being created in Bathgate. It is important that these posts are supported with good terms and conditions for the new staff.
“Clearly more people are shopping online following the experience of lockdown, increasing demand for local delivery services.”
And Conservative Lothian list MSP, Miles Briggs, added: “Bathgate and the rest of West Lothian has huge economic potential and I am pleased that it is being recognised by Amazon.
“The creation of new roles at
Amazon emphasises the importance of people being reskilled and supported into new roles when other companies are forced to close.”
West Lothian’s executive councillor for Development and Transport, Cathy Muldoon said:“It is pleasing to hear this news which provides a welcome boost to the local economy.”