Union representatives at Pfizer in Newbridge say they are stunned by the loss of 150 jobs at the Co Kildare plant. Staff were notified of redundancies at a meeting with management this morning.
Unions will meet Pfizer management on Friday to discuss the redundancies which will come into force by March of next year.
Frank Jones from SIPTU says workers have been left stunned by the news.
The pharmaceutical firm is to seek the redundancies in 2014 and says they are due to a reduction in manufacturing volumes and competitiveness. The company also plans to exit packaging operations currently in Newbridge in 2015.
It will now start a consultation process with workers. The firm says no other sites in Ireland are affected by this announcement.
Newbridge currently produces some 3 billion tablets and capsules and 55 million packs annually. The pharmaceutical giant has been operating in Ireland since 1969 and employs more than 3,200 people here.
The Newbridge site opened in 1992 and currently employs approximately 670 people - exporting to more than 100 markets in the EU, Asia Pacific, USA , Latin America, Africa and middle East
Pfizer recently announced investments in the Grange Castle and Ringaskiddy sites of €95 million.
The President of Newbridge Chamber of Commerce is David O'Reilly. He says there more job losses elsewhere as a result.
