Motorola Cork to shut with loss of 330 jobs


9 Mar 2007

Motorola has confirmed that it has concluded a consultation with employees over the future of the Cork site. The majority of the operation’s 330 workers will have left the operation by the end of May.

An increasingly competitive mobile phone market impacted on Motorola’s fourth-quarter performance and profits fell 50pc. As a result the company said that it was laying off 3,500 of its 70,000 workers worldwide.

It is grim news for Cork, which has been rocked by a spate of closures fuelled by the rising costs of manufacturing in Ireland. Yesterday, for example, US automotive technology firm Bourne Electronics said it was moving 80 jobs to lower cost locations in Mexico and Hungary.

Motorola said this morning that the closure follows extensive negotiations that failed to yield any fruit. “During the consultation period, all parties have worked very hard to ensure that every possible avenue has been explored. Regrettably, none of these offered a viable alternative for continuing Motorola operations at the site.

“Motorola is now beginning individual discussions with employees and expects that the majority of employees will leave by the end of May 2007. Motorola will retain a small number of employees from Cork who will transition to be home workers,” the company said.

Motorola said it is providing assistance to all affected workers to help them obtain alternative employment as soon as possible. It is being assisted in this task by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and FAS.

“Motorola acknowledges the work of its employees at the Cork site who have consistently demonstrated their professionalism and talent even during this difficult period,” the company said.

By John Kennedy