United_Digital1_8:Activist issue 7 12/06/2009 13:24 Page 12
12
united digital manufacturing in crisis
Billions for the
banks – buttons
for manufacturing
The UK car manufacturing industry continues its beleaguered path,
buffeted and bruised by the recession
GM Vauxhall GM’s new global compact vehicle due to go
Luton and Ellesmere Port into production later this year.
Hanging in the balance The 2,200 workers at the plant have been
As we go to press the future of thousands reduced to a four day week since January and
of Vauxhall workers at both Luton and have lost shift premiums, in cutbacks mirrored
Ellesmere Port hang in the balance. throughout GM Europe’s plants.
At the end of May the German government The knock-on is also having a detrimental
announced its preferred bidder for GM effect on first and second tier suppliers to the
Europe, the Russian bank backed consortium, plant.
Magna. Unite warned the government that
unless it backed GM's UK plants, thousands Unite senior convenor at Ellesmere Port,
of jobs will be lost and the UK's John Fetherston says he has never seen a
manufacturing capability will be left worse situation in 32 years with the company.
hamstrung.
“We have had short-term working before but
“The German government has offered this has affected everyone from production
billions of euros of state loan guarantees to and maintenance staff to hourly workers, with
the bidders,” said Unite joint general hours reduced from 38 to 30 hours per
secretary Tony Woodley. “So far there has week.”
been no comparable support from the UK
government, there has only been talk and no John believes it is essential for the
action. It's time for the UK government to be government to invest money in the form of
decisive and do everything humanly possible subsidies to combat the effects of short-term
to protect Britain's manufacturing base.” working.
Unite joint general secretary, Derek “People here are struggling to meet car and
Simpson, agreed. “It's no good providing mortgage repayments. Workers in Spain,
billions to the banks but buttons for Belgium and Germany receive subsidies but
manufacturing. Thousands of jobs are at stake workers in the UK don’t.”
at Luton and Ellesmere Port. Once lost they
won't return, our manufacturing capability “There is a light at the end of the tunnel for
and the UK's research and development base this plant because it will build the new Astra,
will be left hamstrung. but we need to get through this initial
predicament so that when the new contracts
begin we can hit the ground running.”
Uncertain future
Unite members at the Vauxhall plant in “The government also needs to ensure that
Ellesmere Port face an uncertain future whoever takes over GM will be able to
despite being selected as the prime plant for assure the future of Ellesmere Port.”
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