Up to 300 workers are to be made redundant at an electronics factory in Co Antrim after it emerged today the company wants to transfer the operation to Hungary in a bid to lower its wage bill.
Staff at Sanmina in Lisburn were told the plant was shutting down as part of relocation plans.
The US-owned company, which makes computer cabinets, said it was starting a 90-day consultation with union representatives.
But unions at the Ballinderry Road factory accused the firm of showing no loyalty to its employees and blamed the company decision on weak employment laws .
Amicus union spokesman Terry Collins said: "We had a loyal workforce. It's not that there was problems with the quality of the work. "It's down to just the pounds, shillings and pence position."
They have made this decision to exit the business. I have a concern that these multinationals can do this because of the weak employment laws.
"They can exit the likes of Northern Ireland and the UK because they have to pay very little in compensation. "But if they were situated in the likes of France or Germany it would cost up to approximately £100,000 per employee to remove them."
Mr Collins added that he would be contacting the company urgently because no-one had been in touch with him. "But obviously I'm fearful. I think the decision has been made," he told BBC Radio Ulster.
"It's really down to see what sort of package we can extrapolate out of the company for the employees. "It's a bolt out of the blue. We were aware that the company was experiencing some difficulties. For this to come so quickly is a real shock."