Business Secretary to Meet Jaguar Land Rover Boss as Thousands of Job Cuts Expected
The Business Secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, will meet with Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) bosses and the Unite union to discuss anticipated job cuts at the automaker.
JLR has confirmed it is launching a voluntary redundancy program, one year after a cyber attack led to over a month of production halts. While the company hasn't disclosed specific numbers, The Times reports as many as 4,000 jobs could be lost due to tariffs and declining sales.
Reynolds told Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that while the meeting early next week will focus on "mitigating any job losses," a bailout for JLR is off the table. He noted:
"A company the size of JLR... at various times in its business cycle, the number of directly employed people will change."
He emphasized that support wouldn't be provided "if it's to bail people out," but suggested "long-term investment in the future" of the company.
These cuts come as Chancellor John Healey prepares a speech in the Midlands on Monday, promising to boost economic growth through changes in infrastructure investment evaluation. JLR, headquartered in Coventry, is a key player in the region.
JLR hasn't confirmed the extent of the job cuts, but stated they are aimed at "simplifying" operations, "improving efficiency," and building "greater resilience." The company hinted at potential compulsory redundancies as part of these plans.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham expressed concern about a "perfect storm" in the automotive industry, attributing it to "death by a thousand cuts" over time. She added that discussions were held over the weekend to explore ways to mitigate job losses.