Union accuses Peugeot of bringing forward Ryton
closure
Thursday 6th July 2006
Amicus the union says that Peugeot is offering
enhanced redundancy packages to workers at Ryton to reduce the
staff count and move quickly towards closure.
The union, which said yesterday that the company has refused
to seriously consider its’ plan for the plants survival, says that
about a third of staff have taken up the company’s offer of an
additional £4,000 on top of the redundancy packages. As of
tomorrow Peugeot will run on a one shift basis.
Although the company have officially said the plant will close
next summer, with the loss of 2,300 jobs, Peugeot are fast tracking
closure and rumours are rife that the company will look to close
Ryton as early as October this year.
Roger Maddison, Amicus’ National Officer for the automotive
industry, said:
“We understand workers wishes to take advantage of
what’s on offer when they see closure as an
inevitability.
“We have put forward a viable plan for Ryton to
remain open as an even more productive and profitable concern but
everything that the company has said and done indicates that that
they are committed to closing Ryton and perhaps even sooner than
they had originally planned.
“If they fail to be convinced by the figures we
are presenting in our business case for Ryton, we hope our £1
million Peugeot boycott campaign will persuade them that their
decision is wrong and potentially extremely damaging for their
sales and reputation.”
Amicus and the T&G unveiled a national newspaper
advertising and poster campaign on Monday. The campaign will run
throughout the summer in a bid to hit Peugeot’s September
sales.
- Ends -
Please call Catherine Bithell in the Amicus press
office for further information on 020 7420 8909 or 07958 473
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