General Cable to make redundancies

22 March, 2010

Christchurch-based manufacturer General Cable has announced it will be laying off nearly a third of its work force over the next three years.

The redundancies are due to the company merging some production sites and transferring other work overseas and will begin next year.

EPMU assistant national secretary Ged O'Connell says General Cable has been forthright about the job losses.

"While redundancies are never easy we've seen a good degree of openness from the company and decent forewarning for our members which means they've got time to find new work.

"Between this and other losses in the region such as the Bridgestone closure, Christchurch manufacturing has taken a hammering," says O'Connell, "but we're hopeful that the effects of the recession will have lifted and the job market improved by the time these jobs go.

"As always, we'll be using our networks of employers to try to find our members new jobs and together with assistance from the company we are fairly confident these skilled workers will find new work.

EPMU members at General Cable have a significant redundancy agreement.