Threat to one third of workforce at automotive parts manufacturer as Covid pandemic downturn reduces demand

Liam Gallagher, Unite Regional Officer for workers at AVX expressed his dismay after the company provided his union with a HR1 notification for 77 redundancies on its TTP production line in its plant in Coleraine.

“This news will be devastating news for the 77 workers and their families. AVX is one of the few remaining manufacturers in Coleraine and the reduction of their workforce by one third will come as a significant blow to the North West economy. AVX has been producing electrical capacitors for the automotive industry here for fifty years.

“Unite has been working with the Company through furlough and flexi-furlough since last November to protect the TTP product line. The company had established a second production facility in Penang, Malaysia which was taking away jobs but the downturn in demand in the sector for these components was the last straw.

“Redundancy negotiations begin on Monday [September 7^th] and our priority will be to mitigate against the impact on our members through redeployment within the company and facilitating workers who would like to take voluntary redundancy.

“We can ill afford to lose more jobs in this area, and manufacturing jobs in particular are essential to sustain jobs in other sectors. Workers are facing into a bleak and uncertain time and its clear that there is absolutely no strategy emerging from Stormont or Westminster to save manufacturing jobs or outline a ‘post covid’ recovery plan. The likelihood is that initial shock will become anger as job losses turn into long term unemployment”, Mr Gallagher said.