Nissan cuts jobs as part of global savings push

AROUND 250 posts are likely to be cut from the Nissan plant in Sunderland as the car making giant puts together a huge global savings programme.

- GRAEME WHITFIELD Journal Editor

The company has in recent months been facing major challenges at a global level as it battles to raise billions for its survival.

Office staff and some floor supervisors are being offered packages to voluntarily leave the company. The 're-cap' programme will not affect manufacturing staff at Washington, where around 6,000 people are employed.

New Nissan chief executive Ivan Espinosa earlier this year announced drastic cost-saving measures across Nissan's global business, including slashing of 20,000 jobs around the world and the closure of seven factories over the next three years.

It's hoped the reductions, which come after an attempted merger with Honda fell down, would save the company more than £2bn.

The news comes as Nissan reported a further slump in production and sales figures last month, including a 38% drop in the number of vehicles made in the UK during May to just under 16,500, compared with the same period last year. Globally, factory numbers fell 16.5% over the same period to 229,645.