Cosgrove to seek meeting with depot management

Staff at the site, which is opertated by logistics company DHL, have said a recent reduction in work has led to concerns over job losses.

Ulster Unionist councillor, Mark Cosgrove said: “I have been contacted by staff who are very concerned for their jobs.

“Clearly, in the current economic climate there is no such thing as job security, but I would urge management to fully brief staff so they understand what management plans are. If the jobs are secure then it is obviously in everyone’s interest to reassure staff as opposed to them looking for other jobs and losing the skills built up on the Mallusk site over many years.

“It would clearly be very damaging to Newtownabbey if this was the beginning of a process of scaling down their Mallusk operation. I will try to contact management to assess exactly what the real situation actually is. In the current retail trading environment I am sure managing these issues is not easy but the current perceived vacuum is not in anyone’s interest.”