Unions are seeking talks with executives at car maker Peugeot following the company's announcement it is to shed 850 jobs at its main UK factory under plans to end a production shift.
Peugeot said it would do everything it could to minimise the impact of the cuts at its site in Ryton, Coventry, which employs about 2,800 workers.
Ryton produces the Peugeot 206, and last year built about 180,000 vehicles, 60 per cent for export.
A spokeswoman for the Transport and General Workers' Union said many of the jobs would be shed through voluntary redundancies and contracts not being renewed.
"While the job losses are bad enough, the major concerning issue is Peugeot's failure to highlight a new model for the 206," she said.
''We are, therefore, looking to talk as a matter of urgency to the chairman of the company and Secretary of State Patricia Hewitt to resolve this and secure a long term future for the plant."
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