McLaren: Protests as supercar factory near Sheffield axes staff

A supercar factory near Sheffield has made workers redundant, sparking protests.

McLaren Automotive on the Advanced Manufacturing Park in Catcliffe has shed 17 workers after dropping a shift, it is claimed.

The firm has not confirmed to The Star how many jobs have been axed.

The whistleblower said the decision over which roles were made redundant came after a five-day consultation process, which they feel was unfair.

They said: "The way 17 people were just taken into a room on Monday morning for a redundancy announcement is disgusting. Only five days’ consultation period. Some of these people have a family and a mortgage.

"Seventeen hardworking, loyal employees went to work for 6am and by 12 noon they were back home with no job.

"They had told people a couple of weeks previously when a shift was dropped that there will definitely not be any redundancies."

The McLaren Composites Technology Centre on Selden Way makes carbon fibre chassis for £250,000 cars such as the 750S and electric Artura. It was opened in 2018 by Prince William and his wife Kate and today employs 150.

A McLaren spokesman said: "We are aware of the allegations by a specific individual connected to an MCTC employee and which are wholly inaccurate.

"All the employees affected are subject to a fair, transparent, impartial process which is in-line with all relevant legal requirements."

In May 2020 McLaren Group, which is based in Woking, axed 1,200 jobs - about a quarter of its workforce - due to the pandemic.