The move comes in response to a prolonged downturn in the UK plant market.
The two JCB Transmissions plants in Wrexham will cease production for a week from 5 October.
There will also be an extra "non-production" week at three facilities in Staffordshire: The World HQ, Rocester; JCB Earthmovers, Cheadle and JCB Cab Systems, Rugeley.
A JCB spokesman said: "JCB proposed taking a non-production week in early October at some of its UK manufacturing plants to help ensure production stayed aligned to demand for the remainder of 2009. This proposal, which affects shop floor employees and production related-staff, has been the subject of full consultation with the GMB union. Employees will still be paid for the week off, but they will repay their 39 hours by working without pay for an hour every week for the next 39 weeks.
ADVERTISEMENT"While many commentators are reporting some positive signals, we are not seeing any indications of an upturn at the moment. However the rate of decline the construction equipment sector has experienced over the past 12 months has slowed significantly. We are hopeful we may have found the bottom but are mindful that the recovery will be a slow process."
JCB's Heavy Products division in Uttoxeter (makers of wheeled and tracked excavators), and its JCB Compact Products business in Cheadle (manufacturers of micro and mini excavators and skid steer loaders) are unaffected.
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