Agency staff served notices today at Coventry black cab firm - and union speaks out - The Coventry Observer

Agency staff served notices today at Coventry black cab firm - and union speaks out

Coventry Editorial 1st Feb, 2019 Updated: 1st Feb, 2019   0

A UNION says it will support agency staff losing their jobs at a Coventry firm which manufactures the country’s iconic black cabs.

The Walsgrave-based London Electric Vehicle Company announced 70 agency job losses on Tuesday (January 29)- and this afternoon served notice to staff.

The news was broken to workers only a day after Prince Charles was taken on a tour of its Ansty Park factory.

Unite regional officer Peter Coulson said: “The job losses, which number about 70, affect temporary agency staff.




“They don’t impact on the core workforce.

“The rationale behind these job losses is to do with production forecasts that have yet to come to fruition.


“This ebb and flow is usual in the business cycle. There is no link to Brexit uncertainty.

“Unite will give support to those agency staff, who are members, in the days and weeks ahead.”

A spokesman for the factory based in Ansty Park on Coventry’s outskirts said on Tuesday: “2019 will be a challenging year for UK automotive.

“To prepare the business we are reducing the number of agency staff and making productivity improvements.

“We still expect demand for our premium electric taxi to continue to grow over the coming years.”

It is the latest blow to West Midlands manufacturing, especially as it concerns the burgeoning electric vehicle sector – for which Coventry is considered a driving force.

Jaguar Land Rover, based in Coventry and Solihull, is central to the development of electric and battery technology in the region.

JLR last week announced an extra week-long shutdown of its Solihull borough factories in April.

The concerning move is in addition to a week’s shutdown around Easter and follows news of up to 4,500 job losses throughout the company.

A London Electric Vehicle Company spokesperson said today: “Given our desire to treat the affected individuals fairly, we have sought to brief those directly impacted first.

“We have sought to act with pace, care and transparency to ensure that uncertainty for affected staff is kept to a minimum.

“Following our initial communication earlier this week, this afternoon temporary staff have now been given their notice and release dates will be agreed with those affected next week.

“Our agency staff recruiter has already started reaching out to their other clients to see what other roles might be available for those leaving the business, and we will support those affected through this process.

“Where appropriate we are also encouraging agency staff to apply for non-production vacancies at LEVC.

“These associates have all played an important role in helping LEVC build our new factory and our new vehicles over the past few years and we are extremely thankful for their efforts.”

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