Automotive supplier agrees to government job retention scheme

Staffordshire’s Faurecia has confirmed it will furlough workers following pressure from union Unite.

Faurecia Interiors said that its workforce will be registered under the government’s job retention scheme.

Staff at the auto-interiors firm, which employs about 400 people at two sites at Fradley in Staffordshire as well as at other locations across the UK, will now be able to receive 80% of their wages from the government.

Unite, which drew Faurecia’s parent company PSA and customer Jaguar Land Rover into the row, welcomed the move by the company, claiming it had previously “refused to comment on whether it was intending to register its workforce”.

Unite regional officer Melvyn Palmer said: “Unite welcomes Faurecia’s decision to register its workers under the government’s job retention scheme.

“Faurecia’s workforce will no doubt be relieved that they have one less thing to worry about during these troubling times.

“Faurecia’s management must now pay workers as normal until the funds from the job retention scheme come through.

“It is imperative that companies which are closed during the lockdown register their staff under the job retention scheme.

“Employers must also communicate the fact that they are doing so to their workers, who will naturally be concerned about paying the bills and putting food on the table when the economy has ground to a halt.”

TheBusinessDesk.com has contacted Faurecia for comment.