This is the second dismissal in less than a year. The multinational had already laid off more than 300 workers in March last year, due to the crisis in the automotive sector in Europe.
Yazaki Saltano produces wiring and electrical and electronic systems for major European brands but, says the company, it is being affected by the drop in sales of electric vehicles due to competition from China and the United States.
In this sector, the production costs are higher in Portugal, despite low salaries. It’s more cheap to produce in countries in North Africa or Eastern Europe which, therefore, they are managing to capture more projects and orders.
This is the context cited by the Japanese multinational to justify the dismissal of 163 workers.
In a statement, the company says it is implement resource optimization measures and technological integration to ensure the viability of operations in Portugal.
From what SIC was able to determine, the dismissal mainly affects production workersbut also affects a wide range of departments at the Ovar unit.
Remember that the same pressure for the cost reduction had already been at the origin of the .
The new process is still at an early stage with meetings and consultations with workers and with the various unions. As with previous layoffs, which began in the first decade of 2000, the company has already created an office to provide support to employees who will be laid off.
