In September, the management of Swedish battery manufacturer Northvolt issued layoff notices to 1,600 employees. After negotiations it is now clear that 338 employees will lose their jobs.
Negotiations between the employer and union representatives have been concluded, and Unionen confirms that hundreds of employees will be laid off from the once-hyped battery manufacturer.
– It has been a month of difficult negotiations and decisions made under enormous time pressure for our elected representatives, which we have been very critical of. But these tough decisions have to be made to secure the future of the company, Shaneika Jeffreys, vice president of the trade union Unionen at Northvolt in Skellefteå, told Swedish state broadcaster SVT.
In total, 180 employees will be laid off at Northvolt One in Skellefteå, in addition to another 124 employees in Skellefteå, 20 in Stockholm and 14 in Västerås who work for the subsidiary Northvolt Expansion.
– The anxiety of not knowing has been hard for many, so we are pleased to have concluded the negotiations so that the affected members no longer have to wait for a final decision from the employer, continues Jeffreys.
Negotiations between Northvolt and the trade union If Metall are still ongoing and although it is not clear how many people will be laid off, there is great concern that nearly 1,300 more employees will lose their jobs.
