40 jobs to go at Tralee-based electronics firm

UP to 40 jobs will be lost in a factory in Tralee, Co Kerry, with the closure of two production lines, it has emerged.

However, the Beru electronics company, which employs 202 people, told workers at a meeting the factory would not close.

still surrounds the company’s future in Tralee where it has been manufacturing components for the motor industry since 1986.

Tralee SIPTU official Ted Kenny, who was not at the meeting, said the workers were frustrated because of the lack of information from the company. “They are looking for job security but they don’t have that at the moment. They don’t know what’s happening to their jobs,” he said.

Mr Kenny, who met shop stewards after the meeting, said two production lines were to go and the overall reaction of the workforce was one of disappointment.

“We’re looking at more job losses in Tralee and it’s a bit unfair of management to be keeping workers on a string,” he remarked.

About 80% of Beru’s output in Tralee is Glow Plug production. And this is understood to be one of the lines to be moved to another of the company’s plants in Germany.

The Tralee management declined to comment but said a statement was being drawn up and would be signed off on by the company in Germany in a few days.

Tralee has been hard hit by industrial job losses. Recently, Amman announced the closure of its plant in the town, which manufactured specialised sewing threads, with the loss of 330 jobs.