• Demand for vans requires three shifts at Luton plant
  • “Commercial situation of Vauxhall and Opel Astra” requires the restarting of Ellesmere Port operations after 1 September
  • Temporary move to Luton gives furloughed Ellesmere Port volunteers work during COVID-19 crisis

PSA Group said on Tuesday (23 June) unions had agreed to the voluntary temporary transfer of workers from its Ellesmere Port Astra plant and a parts centre to Luton to create a third shift to meet demand for vans.

The move was announced earlier this month.

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Manufacturing resumed at the site on 18 May after deployment of health measures.

Following a meeting with trade union representatives of the Vauxhall National Joint Negotiating Committee, around 200 workers will be redeployed from the Ellesmere Port Astra plant and the parts distribution centre in Luton, to the van plant on a voluntary basis for a temporary period.

Vauxhall said it would cover transport and expenses for all staff involved.

“The company proposal is based on the ‘European manufacturing solidarity’ principle in force at PSA Group and will mitigate the social risk against temporary low activity at some plants and support the ability to respond to significant demand for LCV production with highly trained and skilled workers from the Ellesmere Port site,” PSA said in a statement.

A PSA spokeswoman told just-auto Ellesmere Port was being reconfigured to provide social distancing and other safety measures for employees to enable production to resume during the COVID-19 crisis.

Production of Opel and Vauxhall Astra models had not yet restarted.

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