WATERFORD RECEIVED a jobs blow yesterday after Honeywell Transportation in the IDA Business Park announced that an additional 50 jobs were at risk in the plant.
The US multinational informed employees three months ago that 85-100 redundancies would be sought by the end of the year.
Honeywell said it was trying "to maximise its global supply chain footprint" and remain competitive in an increasingly cost-sensitive business segment.
However, yesterday the company announced that an extra 50 jobs were at risk due to a continued decline in demand in the automotive trade.
Honeywell Transportation said that due to market instability an additional 50 redundancies were envisaged as well as a possibility for other actions to address the loss of volume. The company was also introducing short-time working for all employees until at least Christmas. Talks between unions and management at the company are set to resume today.
Waterford Labour TD Brian O'Shea described the Honeywell announcement as a blow for the economy and the people of the area. He said details were sketchy in relation to the proposed job losses but that the region could not afford to bear the brunt of further redundancies.
"Today once again, the prospect of further job losses in Honeywell in Waterford is back on the agenda. The situation with regard to the scale and nature of the losses will only become clearer after tomorrow's and Thursday's meetings between management and the union.
"I will be keeping in touch with this matter and will assist in any way that I can, with regard to the retention of jobs and full-time working," he said.
Honeywell Transportation manufactures engine boosting systems for passenger cars and commercial vehicles. Honeywell has cut staff on various occasions in recent years in Waterford. In 2004 it announced 82 redundancies and in 2003, it announced 63 job losses.
The US company established a base in Waterford in the 1970s. The company has three plants in Waterford altogether, Turbo Technologies in the IDA Business Park being the main one, employing 530 people.