Irish Novartis workers ‘shocked’ by layoff announcement

Oct. 23, 2019

About 320 workers at a Novartis plant in Ringaskiddy, Ireland found out this week that their jobs are going to be cut.

According to a report in the Irish Times, one employee said that the announcement came “as a shock” to most in the plant. Although it was known that Novartis had been conducting a review of its operations and was possibly seeking a buyer for the facility, which employs about 550, recent investments into the Ringaskiddy location had led many to believe their jobs were secure. 

Novartis told employees that the job cuts relate to predicted redundancies at the campus as the company works to consolidate its API production by mid-2022.

The company has promised compensation packages for the employees and said that, for now, the site will continue its production of treatments for heart failure, hypertension and acromegaly. But the company also stated that more cuts at the facility could be coming.

Read the full Irish Times report.