Jaguar Land Rover workers vote to save jobs
5th March 2009
Workers at Jaguar Land Rover have today voted overwhelmingly to
back proposals their unions believe will help retain jobs at the
vehicle manufacturer.
The workers employed at Jaguar Land Rover's Gaydon, Whitley,
Castle Bromwich, Halewood, Solihull and Browns Lane sites voted by
70 per cent to back proposals recommended by their unions, Unite
and the GMB, which would see the working week reduced to four days
and pay frozen for one year in order to ensure continued production
and avoid compulsory redundancies.
In a joint statement following the ballot result, the unions
said: "We did not want our members in Jaguar Land Rover to be faced
with the same fate as the thousands of others who have been
dismissed in other companies. Our members in Jaguar Land
Rover deserve better – much better. The management agreed
with our view that, when this unprecedented recession ends, that
the retention of a skilled and loyal workforce is an integral part
to the ongoing success of this business.
"The union and our members were faced with a difficult choice,
but no less difficult than the choices we have had to make in
recent times. When the business was sold to Tata we faced up
to that challenge together and delivered the best possible
agreement which safeguarded our plants and our members' jobs. We
did not work hard for that to see wholesale redundancies less than
12 months later.
"The choice for our members was clear – further mass
redundancies or what is undoubtedly some short-term pain in order
to secure the future for our members and their families.
"Only the latter could have been in the best interests of our
members. The harsh reality is that some of our members would
have faced the prospect of a future of uncertainty and little
prospect of quality employment for the foreseeable future. We
believe that is too high a price to pay for any of our members, let
alone the substantial numbers of workers at risk if this agreement
had failed. Concessions on pay and benefits that the unions have
negotiated hard over many years are not made lightly, but our
members acknowledge the stark reality which is, there is little
point in having the best terms and conditions of employment if you
have no job or no company left to pay them.
"Our members should be commended for the decision they have
taken today. This was an excellent result for the unions and great
show of solidarity from our members for which the unions are very
proud."
ENDS
For further information contact Pauline Doyle (Unite press
office) on 7976 832 861
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