4,500 CAR JOBS AXED
Firm blames falling sales & Brexit fears
JAGUAR Land Rover is axing 4,500 jobs as it continues to fight for its “long-term future”.
Our biggest car maker blamed the cull – hitting almost a tenth of its workforce – on everything from a sales slump in China and demonisation of diesels to fears over Brexit.
The majority of the cuts will be in the UK and come by the end of March, mainly among managers and other “white collar” roles.
The move is part of a £2.5billion cost-cutting drive which has already slashed 1,500 production jobs in Solihull, Castle Bromwich, Wolverhampton and Halewood.
A source said most new cuts will hit JLR’s Whitley and
Gaydon sites, in Coventry and Warwickshire, which specialise in engineering and design.
JLR chief executive Dr Ralf Speth said “all locations will see reductions”, adding: “Losing people is not an easy step to take. I want to lay the foundations for the long-term future growth of the company.”
He spoke as the firm revealed plans for a new battery plant at Hams Hall, North Warwickshire, and investment in its Wolverhampton factory under a push into electric cars.
Diesel sales, which make up the bulk of JLR’s business, slumped by a third in the UK last year. Sales also fell sharply in China, its biggest market. And Dr Speth said Brexit played an “indirect role” in the new job losses, which the firm hopes can be made through voluntary redundancy and early retirement.
Unite officials said the fresh round was “inevitable and understandable”.
Regional officer Darren Hall said: “It’s unfortunate but the business has to streamline in line with the current climate. At the moment it is too big.”
Meanwhile, rival Ford announced a shake-up of its European operation, which is expected to lead to thousands of job losses and hit the UK.
And Japanese car maker Honda is said to have told its workforce that it will halt production for six days in April due to Brexit logistics and potential border disruption.