NI factories facing a ‘tidal wave’ of job losses as 160 staff axed in Antrim

A senior trade unionist has warned that 160 redundancies at a major NI manufacturing firm is just one sign of a “tidal wave” of job losses looming over the Province.
George Brash of Unite speaks to Wrightbus workers in 2019George Brash of Unite speaks to Wrightbus workers in 2019
George Brash of Unite speaks to Wrightbus workers in 2019

Unite regional organiser George Brash made the remarks after Sensata – which makes equipment for monitoring tyre pressure – announced a second round of job losses in six months.

The firm had said back in January that it was gradually closing its plant in Carrickfergus, with the loss of 270 jobs there.

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That announcement came after management cut the headcount in the Carrick factory by 125 back in early 2018.

Now it has unveiled plans to axe a further 160 jobs, this time at its plant in Antrim town.

Today, there are currently about 900 workers in Antrim and round 150 still remaining at the Carrick plant.

By the time the plant closure and new job cuts take effect in full from 2021, the firm will have 750 people working in Antrim town.

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The US firm began in 1916. Today it has annual revenues of about $3.5bn.

Mr Brash said: “There is a mounting sense of retrenchment – and it isn’t confined to this one business.

“The cumulative impact of job-losses on such a scale will be potentially devastating for the working-class but all we have seen from Stormont is continued inaction.”

He warned of “a tidal wave of job-losses and threats of job-losses” linked to the Covid-19 crisis, and called for Stormont to establish a “taskforce” to protect factory jobs.

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