Unite Urges Government Support For Jaguar Land Rover Supply Chain Staff Hit By Cyberattack

Unite has called for emergency financial support for workers in Jaguar Land Rover’s (JLR) supply chain who have been laid off after the carmaker was hit by a major cyber incident.

The union said some of its members were facing reduced or no wages, with several advised to apply for universal credit to cover lost income. Unite is pressing ministers to introduce a temporary furlough scheme, similar to measures announced this week for employees at bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis.

Sharon Graham, Unite’s general secretary, said: “Workers in the JLR supply chain must not be made to pay the price for the cyberattack. It is the government’s responsibility to protect jobs and industries that are a vital part of the economy. Ministers should take the lead from the Scottish government’s support package for Alexander Dennis staff and implement a similar scheme for workers in the JLR supply chain now.”

JLR confirmed it has extended a production pause until 24 September while it continues a forensic investigation into the cyber incident. A company spokesperson said: “We are very sorry for the continued disruption this incident is causing. We are working through the different stages of a controlled restart of our global operations, which will take time. We will continue to provide updates as the investigation progresses.”

The call from Unite highlights the growing concern over the knock-on effects of cyberattacks across complex supply chains. For project managers, the situation underscores the importance of contingency planning, crisis communication and workforce protection strategies when critical operations are disrupted.