Unite calls on Welsh politicians to help as car filter firm pushes ahead with 190 redundancies

7 September 2011

Leading Welsh politicians are being asked to intervene to mitigate the 190 job losses at South Wales car filter firm, Sogefi Filtration, where almost half the workforce are due to be made redundant by 7 October.

Unite, the largest union in the country, is convening the meeting at its Cardiff offices on Friday (9 September) of MPs, Assembly Members (AMs) and Members of the European Parliament (MEPs).

Andrea Jones, Unite regional officer said: 'Unite will be asking the political leaders to put pressure on the Italian-owned company to come up with other solutions rather than compulsory redundancies, such as a shorter working week and relocation to Sogefi's other sites.'

'We would also like them to get assurances from management that Sogefi Filtration continues to manufacture at its Llantrisant site in South Wales.'

Andrea Jones said that the strength of feeling amongst the workforce at the lack of genuine negotiation to lessen the job losses could lead to a ballot for industrial action, including strike action.

'Senior management should have looked more closely at securing volunteers for redundancy, rather than solely going down the compulsory redundancy route. At a recent meeting, the employees were in favour of holding an industrial action ballot.'

About 400 staff are employed at the plant in Llantrisant, Rhondda Cynon Taf – and more than 100 jobs in manufacturing are earmarked for redundancy and another 50 jobs in distribution are going by 7 October, when the distribution centre is relocated to Leicester. So far, 76 employees have taken voluntary redundancy.

Andrea Jones said that the company was continuing its restructuring programme and the remaining 200 plus workforce in production faced 'an uncertain future at a grim time for the South Wales economy'.

'Unite intends to mobilise as much pressure as possible, political and industrial, to mitigate the job losses and to keep this important manufacturing plant in South Wales.'

The firm blames 'difficult market conditions' for the redundancies.

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