Valy factory closure in Valjevo, Serbia

Valy, a subsidiary of the Italian Golden Lady group, has announced the closure of its production plant in Valjevo, Serbia. The facility is scheduled to cease operations by mid-December as part of a restructuring process to consolidate production at the company’s Loznica plant.

The company cited several economic drivers for the decision, including an economic crisis, declining consumption in European markets, a significant drop in sales within the Russian Federation, and rising costs for labor and electricity.

The closure affects 737 employees, many of whom are women. The Sloga trade union has raised concerns regarding the economic impact on families, noting that some households may lose both sources of income due to married couples working at the site. The union has called for workers to be transferred to the Loznica facility with paid transportation.

In response, the Nezavisnost trade union has rejected allegations from Sloga regarding the handling of the situation. Nezavisnost stated it has requested that the employer offer Valjevo employees opportunities to transfer to Loznica or find work with other local employers while fulfilling all legal and collective agreement obligations.