Wideform's workers given grain of hope

Wollongong businessman Mick Williams may not be a household name, but to the troubled Wideform Group, he may well be considered a saviour.Mr Williams would no doubt dismiss the title but for thousands of employees, he could be the answer to their prayers.The future of many employees and the company itself has been unclear since 10 companies in the group were placed under the control of an administrator in November last year.At the time, Wideform owed about $58 million, including $23 million to banks and $12 million to the tax office. Entitlements to the group's 700 employees were valued at $9 million.The loss of such a huge employer would have devastating effects on its workers, particularly those in the Illawarra where we are already struggling to cope with high unemployment. The wider community would also suffer flow-on effects through loss of trade and income. So news that Mr Williams is investigating a financial lifeline for the group is welcome. The final decision is still some weeks away, but it does offer a glimmer of hope.Already this week we have seen the region's businesses respond positively to the Mercury's Project Kickstart, and take up the call to employ apprentices. It's employers like these, and Mr Williams, who make a difference to our community.