N.Z.M.C. drops 49 workers

Press, 12 April 1978, Page 3

N.Z.M.C. drops 49 workers

Wellington reporter Staff at the New Zealand Motor Corporation assembly plant at Nelson were told yesterday that 49 persons would be made redundant there because of the present situation in the motor industry. There had been a significant fall-off in the demand for new cars since late last year and production staff at Nelson was being reduced proportionately, said the general manager of the corporation’s assembly division (Mr W. L. Cook). b .-arly all those to be given redundancy notices had been employed at the plant for less than 18 months, and apart from a few specialised positions no production staff had been taken on in the last seven months. There had not been a significant improvement in the over-all car market after the relaxation of hire-purchase restrictions in February, he said. The corporation had continued steady production for some time in the hope that the market would recover but, with regret, it now had no option but to reduce its output of new cars and reduce its staff accordingly, Mr Cook said. Triumph, Princess and Jaguar cars and LandRovers are assembled at the corporation’s Nelson plant. Mr Cok said that over the last three months Triumph and Princess cars had maintained or increased their share of the new car market, but the total New Zealand market was such as not to justify a continuation of the present level of output at Nelson.