Aston Martin: Workers 'demoralised' by Welsh job cuts plan

Aston Martin's Welsh plant is home to the DBX sports utility model it unveiled in 2019

A threat to 200 car manufacturing jobs at Aston Martin in Wales has left the workforce "demoralised", says a union.

The car maker has announced plans to cut 95 staff posts and over 100 agency staff at its Vale of Glamorgan site.

Unite union representatives met managers on Thursday after a 30-day consultation was launched last week.

The union's regional co-ordinator Bryan Godsall said it has been a "difficult period" for the plant, which opened in St Athan in 2018.

"The project has huge potential," he added.

"Nearly everybody that's working in the plant has come from other secure employment in the hope of long-term employment security for themselves and their family."

Mr Godsall added: "Just a year or two on from the initial launch of the business, we are facing a completely different set of circumstances."

• Aston Martin's £19m from Welsh government

• Aston Martin creates 750 jobs in St Athan

The first Wales-made vehicle to come off the production line was the the DBX sport utility vehicle (SUV), unveiled in November 2019.

Earlier this week the company also confirmed the site near Cardiff Airport would be home to its new all-electric SUV, while an electric sports car model would be produced at its Gaydon plant in Warwickshire.

However, the firm said it had to "execute on actions to improve the cost efficiency of the business" as part of its plans to transform and secure the future of both sites.

Staff in Wales were being told their jobs were at risk, in the same week Aston Martin unveiled its new Formula 1 race car

Union officials said it remained "early days in the consultation" following a meeting with management in St Athan on Thursday.

"The focus is really on trying to reduce the impact of the proposals in terms of headcount reduction," said Mr Godsall.

"People are pretty demoralised, as it stands. There's always a period of uncertainty when you come to terms with an announcement of this scale."

The Welsh Government pledged millions of pounds of public money to attract the carmaker to the Vale of Glamorgan ahead of its decision to set up in Wales.

Following Wednesday's confirmation of redundancy talks, the Welsh Government said it was working with Aston Martin to support the workforce and was closely monitoring the situation.

A spokesman added: "As in all cases of Welsh Government support, there are clear conditions relating to the assistance Aston Martin has received and we will consider whether any repayment is appropriate once the outcome of the consultation is known."