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The job cuts are in line with the company scaling down the production of Covid-19 products. Alamy Stock Photo

Pfizer to cut 100 jobs at Newbridge plant as it scales down Covid-19 vaccine production

Workers’ union Siptu has requested to meet with the plant’s management in an attempt to save some, or all, jobs.

PHARMACEUTICAL FIRM PFIZER is to cut 100 jobs at its manufacturing plant in Newbridge, Co Kildare.

The company announced today that the job cuts are in line with the scaling down of the production of Covid-19 vaccines, in line with customer demand.

Workers’ union Siptu, which represents 700 employees at the facility, has called for a meeting to be held between its organisers and management.

According to the union, the job losses will be “of huge concern” to the workers and their families.

On-site operations at the plant were expanded in 2021 to meet pandemic needs, but “the lower-than-expected utilisation” for its Covid-19 products has led the company to scale back its production.

In line with this, Pfizer announced today that it will be decreasing the number of employees at the plant by 100.

“Pfizer does not take these changes lightly,” the company said in a statement.

“All decisions that impact people, processes and initiatives will be made with transparency, compassion and respect.

“We also remain committed to our patients and will continue to produce our COVID-19 antiviral treatment in Newbridge,” it added.

The firm said today that it will be engaging with the employees and their representatives “as applicable” to notify them of the planned voluntary redundancies.

Sitpu Divisional Organiser Greg Ennis said the “worrying trend” of job losses in manufacturing plants is “something that the Government must focus on immediately with a view to arresting such decline”

Ennis said: “The loss of these jobs in Newbridge will have a significant economic effect to the detriment of the wider Kildare area and will be of huge concern to our 700 members and their families at the Newbridge facility.”

Siptu Organiser Robbie Purfield said the union has requested a meeting with managements in order to try and reduce or scrap the planned redundancies at the facility.

However, the company said it plans to make these changes in order to “ensure capacity is effectively utilised based on product demand” – which have fallen since the staff were taken on board in 2021.

Speaking on the potential job losses this evening Labour Senator Mark Wall expressed concern following the announcement.

Wall said: “The announcement from Pfizer today is deeply concerning.

“This will be a devastating blow for the workers and their families. Pfizer must now engage with union officials in a meaningful way,” he added.

Wall spoke for his party by echoing the call from Siptu for management to meet with the union representatives and “explore all options”.

“The loss of these jobs in Newbridge will have a significant impact on Newbridge and the wider Kildare area,” he said.

Senator Mark Wall, Labour’s representative in Kildare South, has expressed concern following Pfizer’s announcement.

“The announcement from Pfizer today is deeply concerning. This will be a devastating blow for the workers and their families. Pfizer must now engage with union officials in a meaningful way,” he said.

“We in Labour echo the call from SIPTU who represent more than 700 workers at the facility. We call on the company to meet with union officials to discuss the proposals and to explore all options.

“The loss of these jobs in Newbridge will have a significant impact on Newbridge and the wider Kildare area.”

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    Mute TonyFlynn
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:03 PM

    What the f*co did I just read?

    2134
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    Mute Paul O'Neill
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:19 PM

    One of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever read…so basically take a sleeping tablet. Cheers for that.

    1048
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    Mute Leo Galvin
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:37 PM

    I’d say the author took some sort of pill before he sat down to write that sh*t

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    Mute Byyys
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    Dec 14th 2014, 5:24 PM

    No a mention about the Air France flight AF-733 that was enroute from the Dominican Republic to Paris with 156 passengers and crew on board when it declared a mayday emergency. it reported a possible fire on board and requested to divert to Shannon. it landed shortly before 10am this morning.

    The Boeing 747-400 built-in fire extinguishers activated in the cargo hold, its believed that heat from a cargo full of vegetables activated the jet’s sensitive fire system.

    Instead you go with a story about how to fly while taking a sleeping pill…. Genius!

    207
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    Mute James Connely
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:10 PM

    Stupid article and a clickbait headline to boot.

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    Mute Chris Jordan
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:14 PM

    Jesus, is that really a journal story!? 2 mins of my life I will never get back!

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    Mute Ross Kiely
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:28 PM

    How do you report a story and not a comment??

    406
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    Mute Andy Patton
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:15 PM

    WTF is this bullsh*t?

    310
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    Mute Ricki Brennan
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:23 PM

    Makes me want to uninstall this app

    283
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    Mute Paul Nolan
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:07 PM

    What just happened…

    275
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    Mute Kevin Gallagher
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:30 PM

    Bloody hell TheJournal, that was pathetic

    227
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    Mute paul compton
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:05 PM

    Rohypnol ?

    217
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    Mute Biscuits Patinkin
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    Dec 14th 2014, 10:19 PM

    Date rape YOURSELF all the way to first class.

    24
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    Mute Tatjana Kytmannow
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:41 PM

    Really stupid and dangerous advice. Any sleeping pill which is strong enough to knock you more or less out for six hours in an uncomfortable position has potentially serious side effects. For example, taken with any alcohol, or an antihistamine, you might never wake up again. Not moving at all in economy class can lead to a blood clot. Additionally, if you take heavy duty drugs without prescription you might get arrested. I also hope a responsible person picked this eejit up after landing because he would be a danger to himself and others only six hours after taking this meds.

    199
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    Mute Drew
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    Dec 14th 2014, 5:24 PM

    God you must be an absolute nightmare for any unfortunate seat mates on a plane…

    ,

    34
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    Mute Alan Duncan
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:39 PM

    That was truly pathetic…Clearly a slow day at the office

    163
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    Mute Daisy Chainsaw
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:16 PM

    You could at least give us the name of the pill!

    156
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    Mute Davin Lynch
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:37 PM

    Zopiclone 7.5mg. Goodnight.

    109
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    Mute Cian O Donoghue
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    Dec 14th 2014, 6:50 PM

    I recommend Stilnocht. Not too heavy but works a treat.

    27
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    Mute Bruce Wayne
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    Dec 14th 2014, 6:31 PM

    So that’s why they shoot up heroin on the luas, for the first class experience.

    124
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    Mute SCO Electrical
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    Dec 14th 2014, 5:16 PM

    So I’m flying from Prague to Dublin tomorrow… expect a story in the Journal about “The Irish Man who wouldn’t wake up”

    97
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    Mute Donal O Neil
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:38 PM

    What ……. Who ……….. When. wTF

    93
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    Mute Al Smith
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:07 PM

    Proton pill? Roger Ramjet used to take them but they made fly too.

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    Mute Jacqui O Gorman
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:16 PM

    Eh……

    65
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    Mute Kevin Carroll
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    Dec 14th 2014, 7:29 PM

    Wow. Literally the worst article I have ever read!

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    Mute Leslie Skinner
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:51 PM

    He should have took 100 of them,doziest story i have ever read

    61
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    Mute Rory Patrick
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:26 PM

    Business Insider is like the Daily Sport of Business Media except the only tits involved are the authors

    58
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    Mute Tom McCarthy
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:28 PM

    ?

    53
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    Mute Drew
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:16 PM

    This year… Flown Business on American, British Airways, Cathay and Qantas plus First on Cathay and BA.

    Once you turn left you’ll never want to go back

    32
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    Mute Al coholic
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:42 PM

    I paid €10 to board early with ryanair your move.

    171
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    Mute Drew
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    Dec 14th 2014, 5:12 PM

    What’s a ‘Ryanair’?

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    Mute Al coholic
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    Dec 14th 2014, 5:13 PM

    Green thumb for you sir

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    Mute Niall Downes
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    Dec 14th 2014, 6:59 PM

    No wonder the author remained anonymous on this article, dreadful tripe altogether.

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    Mute Paul Shannon
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    Dec 14th 2014, 7:01 PM

    Christ remind me never to take business advice from the journal if the business insiders best article is about taking a $2 sleeping pill before a flight.

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    Mute keith palmer
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    Dec 14th 2014, 6:55 PM

    Apparently this is part of the new James Bond movie script which was stolen in the Sony hack!!

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    Mute All Aboard To China
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    Dec 14th 2014, 5:29 PM

    Call the cops!

    15
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    Mute John Condon
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    Dec 14th 2014, 8:12 PM

    Idiot

    11
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    Mute SCO Electrical
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    Dec 14th 2014, 7:28 PM

    Why has the headline been changed? ???

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    Mute Michael Flavin
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    Dec 14th 2014, 10:55 PM

    My eyes are bleeding after reading that

    7
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    Mute Peter McGlynn
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:22 PM

    Malatonin?

    7
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    Mute Andy Patton
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:30 PM

    *Melatonin. And no – it’s probably valium or xanax.

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    Mute Peter McGlynn
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    Dec 14th 2014, 5:07 PM

    Melatonin did wonders for me on a trip. Out cold for the whole flight – London – SF.

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    Mute Stephen Doyle
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    Dec 15th 2014, 12:01 AM

    Another Pulitzer Prize in the bag for the journals investigative reporters

    6
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