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Honda Swindon plant jobs cut in shift changes Honda Swindon plant jobs cut in shift changes
(35 minutes later)
Car maker Honda plans to cut production at its Swindon factory from three shifts to two, threatening 340 jobs. Carmaker Honda plans to cut production at its Swindon factory from three shifts to two, threatening 340 jobs.
Workers were told at the end of shift on Monday that car plant two would be closing with the loss of jobs, including 140 temporary positions. Workers were told at the end of shift on Monday that car plant two would be closing with the loss of jobs, including 160 temporary positions.
The Japanese carmaker opened its Swindon operation in 1992 The Japanese carmaker, which opened in Swindon in 1992, made 38 compulsory and 554 voluntary redundancies last year.
Last year, almost 600 jobs were cut at the plant; 38 through compulsory redundancy along with 554 voluntary redundancies. Ian Howells, from Honda, said: "Over the last 12 months, we haven't seen the growth we'd anticipated."
About 3,000 workers are based at the South Marston plant, building the Civic, Jazz and CR-V for the UK and European markets.
'Very sad news'
But Mr Howells, senior vice president of Honda Motor Europe, said with "no increase forecast" for the next couple of years, the company will "scale our manufacturing activity accordingly".
"With the restructuring we're taking today, and our new model plans, we remain confident in the long-term future of our Swindon plant," he said.
"Our Swindon operation continues to be the hub for our European car manufacturing activity."
Unite union spokesman, Jim D'Avila, said it was "very sad news".
"There's going to be 600 jobs going from the Honda site, 340 of those will be direct associates, 160 will be agency staff and the company will also be mothballing plant two," he said.
"This blow today will be very, very deeply felt."
As well as cutting shifts, Honda is also planning to move production to one line in an attempt to "improve production flexibility and efficiency".
The company said it will enter into consultation on the proposed job cuts.