'No justification for 55 job losses' at packaging company, says union

A union has said that there is "no justification" for what it has said will be 55 job losses at the Lurgan site of a packaging company.

Smurfit Westrock, which also have a site in Dublin, said they have begun a consultation process to restructure its Lurgan plant in Northern Ireland.

The company said the restructuring is part of "a planned investment programme over the next 18 months" that will" strengthen and modernise operations".

The general secretary of Unite the Union, Sharon Graham said there was "absolutely no justification for these jobs cuts".

Unite said it is a third of the workforce.

Smurfit Westrock has approximately 97,000 employees across 40 countries.

The Lurgan operation manufactures corrugated packaging, offering a range of sustainable solutions for industries including food, beverage and cosmetics.

The Union added this was "the latest blow" to the manufacturing base in the Lurgan area.

It added in recent years there were also large-scale redundancies at Glen Dimplex and at Associated Press in Portadown.

Unite regional officer Sean McKeever said workers "face losing their livelihoods".

"Our members are hugely concerned that this is the first step to shutting the site," he added.

The CEO of Smurfit Westrock Ireland and UK, Eddie Fellows, said the proposed restructuring is focused on securing a "resilient and sustainable future for the business and our customers".

He added restructuring is expected to be complete by the end of the year.