Bentley Workers 'shocked and angry' at Job Cuts

Workers at luxury car maker Bentley have been left shocked and angry after the firm announced up to 275 job losses, a union has said. The manufacturer, based in Crewe, Cheshire, confirmed the cuts after it saw its operating profits fall to £187m in 2025 - a 42% drop when compared to 2024. Bentley said it was part of "overall efficiency activities", which would affect management, agency and non-manufacturing employees, but investment would continue at its Pyms Lane site. Karen Lewis, regional officer at the GMB union, told BBC Radio Stoke: "[The workers] are very shocked but also quite angry as well." She said the company was one of the biggest employers in the area, with people commuting from Liverpool and further afield to work there. "People are obviously upset and angry because they see the bonuses that have been paid to managers over the years," she said. Lewis said the industry had "taken a beating" since the Covid pandemic and it had also been affected by US President Donald Trump's tariffs. "But the rich are still buying cars," she added, "and it's our members, the workforce, who are still working day-in, day-out to create these luxury cars. So this has come as a big shock." Bentley chief executive and chairman Dr Frank-Steffen Walliser said the company was investing in its factory "at unprecedented levels", but needed to make "some difficult decisions" to ensure its long-term competitiveness. "I want to express my sincere appreciation to those affected - we are committed to supporting each individual with care, guidance and assistance throughout this transition," he added.

BBQ - How will these job cuts impact motivation for the remaining workforce?

Bentley

Burberry Cut Jobs

 

Luxury fashion firm Burberry has said it could cut some 1,700 jobs as part of plans to reduce costs by 2027. The British designer brand - famed for its distinctive camel, red and black check pattern - announced the proposed savings on Wednesday as it reported a £66m loss in the last financial year. The proposed job cuts would reduce its global workforce by almost a fifth and include potential redundancies at its Castleford factory in West Yorkshire. Burberry chief executive Joshua Schulman said most job losses would come from its head office teams around the world, but said the cuts would "naturally" be focused in the UK, where most of its staff are based. He confirmed staff rotas would be reorganised and that night shifts at its factory in Castleford, which makes trench coats priced from £1,000 to £10,000 each, would be scrapped. "For a long time we have had overcapacity at that facility, and that is simply not sustainable," Mr Schulman said. Burberry said it would align "schedules with peak store traffic" in its shops, which would result in the reduction of some jobs. It added savings would also come from "operating expenses, with increased efficiency of spend in procurement and real estate". The company said the cuts were "subject to consultation where applicable". Burberry was founded in 1856 and has been making its famous raincoats in Yorkshire since 1972. The designer brand previously announced £40m cost-savings programme in November, meaning it now plans to create the combined annualised savings of £100m by Spring 2027. Burberry's sales have been struggling amid weaker demand for luxury goods in general, with trading in China and the Americas seeing some of the biggest falls last year.

BBQ - What impact will these cuts have on staff motivation? Would there have been a better way to deal with the under capacity seen at Burberry?

Burberry

Santander To Close 95 Stores

Santander has announced it is set to close 95 branches across the UK, putting 750 jobs at risk. The High Street bank said its customers were increasingly shifting to banking online and it aimed to start closing almost a quarter of its branches from June. As part of the changes, Santander will also reduce hours at 36 branches and remove the front counters from 18 others. It is the latest bank to announce branch closures, with Lloyds announcing 136 closures in January. The closures will leave Santander with 349 branches, down from 444. It said the areas to lose branches would be covered by 95 "community bankers" who will visit local communities on a weekly basis in facilities such as libraries. Santander said the changes were due to a "a rapid movement of customers choosing to do their banking digitally". It added digital transactions had increased by just under two thirds since 2019, with a similar drop for transactions in branches. About 750 staff will be at risk of redundancy if the proposals go ahead after consultation with the unions, the Spanish-owned bank said.

Santander Closures

Aston Martin Cuts Workforce

Aston Martin has cut 170 jobs after losses widened by a fifth last year and fewer cars were sold in 2023 following a string of supply chain issues and production delays. The luxury auto manufacturer, which has its headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, said it planned to axe 5% of the workforce as part of cost-cutting measures to return to profit. All of the company's departments have been hit, including manufacturing, office jobs and management. In a statement on Wednesday, the company said the aim was to make sure the company was "appropriately resourced for its future plans", and called the cuts a "difficult but necessary action". Aston Martin - famous for making fictional spy James Bond's cars - said it was targeting yearly savings of £25m and expected to hit about half of that total this year. Adrian Hallmark was appointed the company's new chief executive in September amid a ramping up of sales of its new Vantage and DBX707 models, which it said helped boost production volumes. The company also launched its flagship Vanquish model in September. Aston Martin said the launches helped boost sales later in the year as it started delivering more of the new models to customers, with wholesale volumes picking up 10% year on year in the second half compared with 2023. But the company's wholesale volumes for the whole year were still down 9% at 6,030 cars, pushing its pre-tax losses to gape by a further 21% to £289 million. It also saw its debt pile rise by 43% to £1.16bn during the year, while shares were down about 33% over the last year.

Aston Martin

Job Cuts at Estee Lauder

 
Estée Lauder, the cosmetics giant, has announced plans to cut between 6,000 and 7,000 jobs globally due to declining sales. The company, facing headwinds from softening demand in key markets and struggling to recover fully from pandemic-related disruptions, is implementing a restructuring plan aimed at streamlining operations and focusing on profitable areas. This move reflects the challenges facing the beauty industry as consumer spending habits shift and competition intensifies. The job cuts represent a significant portion of Estée Lauder's workforce and signal a strategic shift as the company seeks to navigate a changing market landscape and regain growth momentum. The restructuring is expected to generate significant cost savings, which Estée Lauder plans to reinvest in brand building and innovation to drive future performance.

BBQ - What alternative strategies could the company have explored to boost sales and potentially avoid such significant job losses?

Estee Lauder

Ford Cut 800 Jobs

In a significant move to address ongoing challenges in the electric vehicle market, Ford Motor Company has announced plans to cut 800 jobs in the UK over the next three years. This decision is part of a broader European restructuring strategy aimed at enhancing the company's financial health and competitiveness. The job reductions will primarily impact administrative, commercial, and development roles, while manufacturing facilities in Dagenham and Halewood will see minimal changes. Despite these cuts, Ford remains committed to its long-term goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, continuing to invest in sustainable technologies and hybrid powertrains. This restructuring highlights the difficulties faced by the automotive industry as it navigates the transition to electric vehicles amidst economic and regulatory pressures.

BBQ: Discuss the potential impacts of this decision on Ford's business operations and its employees.

Ford Cut Jobs

Nissan Restructuring

Nissan has announced plans to lay off thousands of workers as part of a significant restructuring effort aimed at addressing declining sales and financial challenges. This move will impact employees at various plants, including those in the UK, as the company seeks to streamline operations and reduce costs. The layoffs are a key component of Nissan’s broader strategy to enhance profitability and adapt to the evolving automotive market, particularly the shift towards electric vehicles. While this decision is expected to improve operational efficiency and help the company navigate financial difficulties, it also raises concerns about the implications for the affected workforce and the company’s brand reputation. The layoffs could lead to a loss of morale and trust among remaining employees, and potentially damage Nissan’s public image as it navigates these challenging times.

BBQ: How might Nissan’s decision to lay off thousands of workers impact its operational efficiency and financial performance, and what are the potential implications for its workforce and brand reputation?

Nissan Redundancies