Caterpillar, which has factories in Larne, Monkstown and Belfast, is to cut 100 jobs (half of them full-time, the other half agency jobs).
The US-owned engineering group, which employs about 2,000 people in Northern Ireland, issued a statement saying that “economic weaknesses in some key markets” are adversely affecting global demand for a number of its products.
Davy Thompson, the Unite union’s regional co-ordinating officer for the province, said that 2,500 high-value manufacturing jobs have been lost in Northern Ireland in the last year.
“The net impact of these losses is likely to be multiplied three times when indirect and induced jobs lost are included. Those who say manufacturing in Northern Ireland is not in crisis are in denial.
“The changed realities of the global economy in the aftermath of the 2007 downturn are combining with local challenges faced by manufacturers — such as the high cost of energy, geographical disadvantages and inadequate capital supports — to create a potential ‘perfect storm’ for the Northern Ireland economy.
“Unite is demanding immediate engagement with all those charged with ensuring that our manufacturing is supported,
before it is too late.”