STAFF threatened with redundancy at the north's largest motor retailer Charles Hurst claim the consultation process has been "an absolute shambles", with some employees claiming their letters of offer arrived on different days.
And one employee who contacted the Irish News claimed some departments within the organisation will be "pared right back to the bone" if the predicted job losses go ahead.
The Belfast car group's parent Lookers plc confirmed last week it planned to shed around 1,500 of its 8,100-strong UK workforce as it looks to reduce costs by £50 million a year.
The move, which comes as a direct result of the impact Covid-19 has had on the wider motor industry, will also see it shut 12 showrooms at struggling dealerships.
And it has emerged that the cull will result in between 150 and 160 jobs going in Belfast, most from its 20-acre Boucher Road complex, the largest automotive park in Europe and which has 1,100 employees.
Last night a spokesman for the Charles Hurst Group told the Irish News refused to confirm the exact numbers.
Referring to claims of problems in the process, he said: “Following the announcement on June 4 by our parent company, we initiated a staff consultation process which included issuing letters to those employees in business areas at risk. This was completed last week.
“However, for some staff, we are aware that there was a delay in the receipt of the letter, and we have made urgent enquiries with the postal service in relation to this.”
The spokesman added: “As part of the consultation process, we’re working hard to minimise the number of potential redundancies across our operations, but this will unfortunately result in a moderate reduction in staff numbers in some areas.
“We deeply regret the impact that this will have on those staff affected, but like many sectors there is considerable economic uncertainty brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic which we unfortunately need to address to protect our operations and the large number of staff we employ.”
Last November Lookers identified 15 dealerships for closure, but has now lined up a further 12 which it will either close, consolidate or refranchise.
It says it believes this will be completed in the second half of this year, and following the closures - which won't impact on Belfast - the group will operate from a portfolio of 136 dealerships.
Car manufacturers and dealers have been hit hard as motor sales plummeted during the lockdown, and their fear is that sales won't bounce back, with consumers feeling less secure financially and more concerned about their jobs.
But crumb of comfort for the wider industry is that commuters may be more reluctant to use public transport after lockdown, which may encourage them to buy a new car if they are no longer working from home.
READ MORE: Car showrooms reopen - but Donnelly permanently closes Omagh operation
