More job cuts for car industry

Holden said it will build the same number of cars as it built last year – approximately 90,000 – but would do so more efficiently.

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HOLDEN last night announced up to 200 job cuts and a restructure of its Adelaide production line, a little more than a week after Toyota Australia declared it would slash 350 jobs from its Melbourne factory workforce.

Managing director Mike Devereux said the jobs of Holden's 2400 full-time factory workers were secure. However, about 100 casual jobs are in doubt and up to 100 fixed-term contracts may not be renewed.

The car maker is scaling back its capacity from 460 cars per day to 400 and cutting back to one shift instead of two on the general assembly line.
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Holden said it will build the same number of cars as it built last year - approximately 90,000 - but would do so more efficiently.

"No permanent Holden employees are going to lose their jobs as a result of this. People on the afternoon shift are going to join their mates on the day shift," Devereux told the Herald.