The company produces Range Rover Evoque and Land Rover Discovery Sport vehicles at the Halewood plant, which is switching from a three shift to a “two-plus” shift pattern from April 2020.
"This will deliver significant operating efficiencies at the plant, while enabling us to meet…growing customer demand,” the company said in a statement. "This change in shift pattern affects around 10 per cent of Halewood’s workforce.”
JLR announces two-week Solihull shutdown
JLR workers moved to three-day week in light of ‘Brexit chaos’
JLR added that Halewood employees will have the opportunity to leave through an enhanced voluntary redundancy programme.
Trade union Unite has described today’s news as a ‘fresh blow to the car industry’, adding that the job losses comprise a mixture of permanent employees and agency staff.
Des Quinn, Unite national officer said: “This is a further blow to the UK car industry in general and to our members at Halewood in particular. Unite will be ensuring that the commitment to limit job losses to voluntary redundancies is fully honoured.
“The challenges being faced at JLR are also being experienced by other UK car factories.
“The UK’s car industry has plummeted from being the jewel in the crown of the UK’s manufacturing sector in a few short years, directly as a result of government inaction.
“Until the government ensures that there is long-term frictionless trade and no tariffs with the European Union along with meaningful investment in the infrastructure to ensure the success of electric vehicles, the UK’s car industry will continue to experience severe challenges.”
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