DERRY textile maker INVISTA is seeking almost 50 voluntary redundancies at its Maydown.
The union says the firm has told its staff that they are seeking up to 48 staff to go as part of a voluntary severance redundancy scheme.
There are no plans for compulsory redundancy scheme “at this time”.
In a statement, Maydown site manager Kevin Kelly said: “Given the increasingly competitive market, INVISTA has offered employees at its Maydown site the opportunity to apply for severance under a voluntary severance offer to improve the site’s productivity.
“The offer aims to help create a sustainable staffing profile, appropriate to INVISTA Maydown’s Operations plans and needs for the future.
“We intend to assess the level of interest of the voluntary offer before considering our next step.
“There are no plans for a compulsory redundancy exercise at this time,” added Mr Kelly.
It is a huge blow for the city and its economy in the run up Christmas.
In the past seven days over 1,000 jobs have been lost in the manufacture industry.
Unite say that 2,500 high-value manufacturing jobs have been lost in the North of Ireland in the past year.
The union said those who say manufacturing in North of Ireland is not in crisis “are in denial”.
It says the “apathy and inaction that have characterised the NI Executive’s approach to manufacturing must end now”
INVISTA is a US firm which was once part of the DuPont group.
It manufactures Lycra at its Maydown plant.
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