Nissan is not going to extend the contracts of 248 temporary workers at the British car factory, the automaker from Japan stated on Thursday, as the industry grapples with the reduction in demand amid the coronavirus or COVID-19 outbreak.
The output at the northern English Sunderland plant was paused in the mid-March and restarted at the start of the week but with the only one line that makes the Juke and Qashqai models, which in operation.
Nissan Not Going to Extend Contracts of 248 Temporary Workers
A second line, which builds Qashqai and the electric LEAF, will reopen on June 22, the firm said. "Given current business conditions in Europe, we are facing a period of reduced volumes in our Sunderland plant," the firm said in a statement.
"Unfortunately, therefore, we will not be extending the contracts of 248 temporary manufacturing staff at the plant." The reduction means total staffing at the site will stand at 5,750 people.
(With agency inputs)