Stellantis, the owner of Vauxhall, announced that its van factory in Luton would close on Wednesday, leaving over 1,000 jobs at risk. The factory has been producing vehicles since 1905, but the company’s decision to close the facility was first announced in November. Vauxhall workers have voiced their sense of betrayal from the decision, raising concerns that they would struggle to find another job due to their location in Luton. Although an additional 600 workers will be required at the Ellesmere Port plant in Cheshire, many Vauxhall workers are unable or unwilling to relocate.
For many workers, it is daunting to look for new job opportunities, especially for those in their sixties. Dave Short, a forklift driver at Vauxhall stated that he did a Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) training course, but the job search process being entirely online made things difficult. Short expressed his disappointment, stating that the company promised to cut expense but instead “they’re still screwing us.” Another worker, Sandra Geary, whose family had worked at Vauxhall for four generations, expressed how it felt part of her lineage and that it was “heartbreaking” to hear the news of the closure.
Many workers argued that they had done everything the company wanted, from cutting costs to building more vehicles. But now, as Vauxhall is being closed down, they are to face unemployment. Adrian Tooth, who worked at Vauxhall for 44 years and is now 65, acknowledged that it is because of the country’s economic state that companies make decisions like this. He added that Stellantis paid half the wages in the Turkish factory, which was built while Vauxhall had been in business for over a century.
Employees will now go through the process of individual consultation, where Stellantis will focus on supporting employees throughout financial and relocation support. Nevertheless, several workers question the fate of their skill sets that are now at odds with the current Luton-Based work environment. It is a bleak time for workers as they begin to figure out what comes next for them in an already scarce job market
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