50 jobs to go at Christchurch-based General Cable

The union, E tū says General Cable has presented workers at its Christchurch site with a proposal to cut the jobs of 50 workers. That’s just over a third of the 145-strong workforce at the plant.

E tū organiser, Ross Heslop says the proposal is just that and won’t be confirmed until the end of next week but he expects it to proceed as planned.

He says it’s hard for workers: “When you lose 50 jobs, you lose those livelihoods with the effects that has for them.”

He says the news of jobs cuts isn’t a surprise, though the number is higher than expected.

But he says “the company’s done what it has to do and we can’t see a way around it.”

He says other New Zealand manufacturers are also feeling the pain.

“The Australian economy is having a huge impact on manufacturing in this country, and not just manufacturing, also lots of other entities that are Australian owned.

“This is a flow-on effect from the Australian economy being in recession.”

He says the job losses will happen in stages between June and September, with the timetable finalised by the end of next week.

ENDS

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