JAGUAR Land Rover has furloughed half its workforce – almost 20,000 workers –due to the coronavirus pandemic.
As reported in the Observer, all production at the manufacturer’s plants in Solihull and Castle Bromwich was suspended last month.
JLR said it “furloughed all roles that are not critical during this temporary period of disruption.”
The action covers all its UK sites including Solihull, Castle Bromwich, Gaydon and Whitley.
The company’s board would also defer their salary payments from May for three months, the firm said.
Following the halt in production, JLR has also said the “controlled stop would continue for a few more weeks.”
A spokeswoman said: “At Jaguar Land Rover, the health of our employees is our primary concern. We continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation and follow the guidance of all relevant authorities.”
Chairman Dr Ralf Speth will see his pay packet reduced by almost a third.
Jaguar Land Rover added it would ‘top up’ furloughed staff wages to keep them on 100 per cent of pay.
