400 jobs to go at Vauxhall at Ellesmere Port
The jobs will go by Christmas 2017.
Vauxhall is cutting 400 jobs at the firm's Ellesmere Port factory by the end of the year.
The manufacturer, which has made the Astra at the Cheshire plant since 1979, said it is facing "challenging European market conditions and a declining passenger car market''.
Vauxhall said a plan has been put in place for a "voluntary separation programme'' amounting to around 400 employees by the end of 2017.
Here's the full statement from Vauxhall:
"Facing challenging European market conditions and a declining passenger car market, Vauxhall needs to adjust production volumes at its Ellesmere Port production facility to the current level of demand and to improve its performance, in order to protect its future.
"Current manufacturing costs at Ellesmere Port are significantly higher than those of the benchmark plants of the PSA Group in France. The teams are conscious of the need to accelerate the recovery of plant productivity in order to meet the challenges ahead, while continuously improving the already high level of quality achieved today.
"As an important element of this recovery, Vauxhall tabled a plan with UNITE that encompasses a move towards single shift operation at Ellesmere Port during 2018 and a voluntary separation programme for eligible employees amounting to approximately 400 heads by the end of 2017.
"The Company committed to consult with Employee Representatives in order to look for potential opportunities to minimise the impact of these proposed headcount reductions. This consultation will take place over a 45 day period in line with legal requirements.
"PSA Group affirms that its commitment to the Astra plant at Ellesmere Port. The company has every confidence in the capability and skills of the Ellesmere Port workforce to deliver the necessary improvements in financial performance.
"Once it has enough visibility on the future trading relationship with the EU, and the plant competitiveness has been addressed, the company will be in a position to consider future investments."