Wire · Echonomia Post
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds will meet the bosses of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and the Unite union to discuss the impact of thousands of expected job cuts at the car maker. JLR confirmed it is opening a voluntary redundancy programme, a year on from a cyber attack that halted production for over a month. The company did not confirm the numbers, but reports suggest up to 4,000 jobs may be lost due to tariffs and falling sales.
Reynolds said the meeting will focus on mitigating job losses but ruled out a bailout. He emphasized that JLR, a major British employer, will naturally adjust its workforce as part of business cycles. The cuts are expected to affect mainly white-collar employees.
JLR aims to simplify operations, improve efficiency, and build resilience. The company has also opened discussions with Unite over job losses, warning of a long-term industry challenge. Reynolds noted that the UK government is consulting on electric vehicle sales targets, aiming for 80% zero-emission cars by 2030, and is working with the automotive sector to align with consumer demand.
JLR employs around 30,000 people in the UK and 10,000 overseas. A cyber attack in September 2025 caused a 27% production drop, costing £1.9 billion. The company plans to cut £1.7 billion in costs over the next few years.
JLR’s voluntary redundancy programme offers salaried and management team members the chance to leave, with further details to follow. The cuts come amid Chancellor John Healey’s upcoming Midlands speech on boosting economic growth through infrastructure investments.
Source: BBC
