Irving Oil announced job cuts at its Saint John refinery Thursday because of the pandemic.
A statement from President Ian Whitcomb and Executive Vice-President Sarah Irving said about 60 employees left the organization, accounting for about seven per cent of the refinery’s workforce.
Earlier this year, the company also reduced its contractor workforce at the refinery to 225 from a typical workforce of 1,000 people.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has had extreme and serious impacts on our business and our industry. The collapse in demand for motor fuels, jet fuel and other refined products, together with extreme market volatility, serious negative impacts to refining margins and high levels of uncertainty about the depth and duration of the downturn in our economies, continue to create prolonged and significant challenges,” said the joint statement.
“These challenges have forced our company – like others in our industry – to make major changes to our operations and we are sorry for the impact that these actions have had on our team.”
Irving Oil said they are committed to supporting their workers through this difficult transition and are very thankful for all they have contributed to our business.
In July, the company cut 250 jobs from its operations in Canada, the United States, Ireland and the UK, including 173 positions in New Brunswick.
