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| Job cuts at Mini spark angry rows | Job cuts at Mini spark angry rows |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Angry agency staff have confronted union officials at BMW's Mini Cowley plant in Oxford, after the carmaker confirmed 850 job cuts at the site. | |
| Casual staff, who had been laid off with immediate effect, threw fruit at leaders of the Unite union, claiming they felt betrayed. | Casual staff, who had been laid off with immediate effect, threw fruit at leaders of the Unite union, claiming they felt betrayed. |
| Tony Woodley, joint general secretary of Unite, described BMW's treatment of the workers as "disgraceful". | Tony Woodley, joint general secretary of Unite, described BMW's treatment of the workers as "disgraceful". |
| The site will now close for a week, and weekend working has been scrapped. | |
| The carmaker also said it had identified 150 surplus workers at its Mini plant in Swindon. | The carmaker also said it had identified 150 surplus workers at its Mini plant in Swindon. |
| The workers would be offered a transfer to work in Oxford, it added. | |
| 'Cannon fodder' | 'Cannon fodder' |
| Mr Woodley said Unite had demanded an "urgent meeting" with the chairman of BMW. | Mr Woodley said Unite had demanded an "urgent meeting" with the chairman of BMW. |
| "It is unacceptable that workers can be viewed as cannon fodder when a company needs shelter from recession," he added. | "It is unacceptable that workers can be viewed as cannon fodder when a company needs shelter from recession," he added. |
| A spokesman for the Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform said it intended "to launch a consultation in the near future about how the UK will implement the Agency Workers Directive". | |
| Job losses | Job losses |
| Work at the Cowley plant will not restart until 23 February. The changing shift patterns, and the resulting job losses, will come into force on 2 March. | Work at the Cowley plant will not restart until 23 February. The changing shift patterns, and the resulting job losses, will come into force on 2 March. |
| "Mini plant Oxford will be bringing in a new shift pattern in response to continuing volatile market conditions," a BMW statement said. | "Mini plant Oxford will be bringing in a new shift pattern in response to continuing volatile market conditions," a BMW statement said. |
| The Cowley plant shut down for four weeks at Christmas | The Cowley plant shut down for four weeks at Christmas |
| "As of Monday 2 March, the plant will go from a three-shift to a two-shift pattern, operating five days per week instead of the current seven." | "As of Monday 2 March, the plant will go from a three-shift to a two-shift pattern, operating five days per week instead of the current seven." |
| "The company regrets that this change will result in the release of around 850 agency workers from the business," it added. | "The company regrets that this change will result in the release of around 850 agency workers from the business," it added. |
| BMW had said that all staff at the factory, including remaining agency workers, would be paid their basic wages during the closure. | BMW had said that all staff at the factory, including remaining agency workers, would be paid their basic wages during the closure. |
| However, many agency workers said they were unclear what the future held after being told the weekend shift had been axed. | However, many agency workers said they were unclear what the future held after being told the weekend shift had been axed. |
| 'A disgrace' | 'A disgrace' |
| Javid Najibi said he had been told to leave after four years at the plant and that he was likely to get no payout. | Javid Najibi said he had been told to leave after four years at the plant and that he was likely to get no payout. |
| CUTTING BACK Aston Martin: Extended Christmas shutdown and 600 redundancies. Temporary three-day week began in JanuaryBentley: Worked a three-day week in October and longer Christmas break. Closing Crewe plant for seven weeks from the beginning of MarchGM (Vauxhall): Extended Christmas closure and 40-day shutdownHonda: Four-month shutdown between February and MayJaguar Land Rover: Series of one-day shutdowns and production cuts late 2008 plus 450 redundancies plannedNissan: Two-week shutdown late last year and 1,200 redundancies Toyota: One of the night shifts suspended Source: SMMT Sacked Mini workers express angerQ&A: Agency workers' rights | CUTTING BACK Aston Martin: Extended Christmas shutdown and 600 redundancies. Temporary three-day week began in JanuaryBentley: Worked a three-day week in October and longer Christmas break. Closing Crewe plant for seven weeks from the beginning of MarchGM (Vauxhall): Extended Christmas closure and 40-day shutdownHonda: Four-month shutdown between February and MayJaguar Land Rover: Series of one-day shutdowns and production cuts late 2008 plus 450 redundancies plannedNissan: Two-week shutdown late last year and 1,200 redundancies Toyota: One of the night shifts suspended Source: SMMT Sacked Mini workers express angerQ&A: Agency workers' rights |
| "It's bad news for everybody. There's no work any more for the weekend shift. No-one knows about the future plans," he said. | "It's bad news for everybody. There's no work any more for the weekend shift. No-one knows about the future plans," he said. |
| Another agency worker told the BBC that he felt like a "second class" employee compared to the permanent staff. | Another agency worker told the BBC that he felt like a "second class" employee compared to the permanent staff. |
| "It's a disgrace," he said. | "It's a disgrace," he said. |
| "I've worked here for three-and-a-half years and now I'm being sacked for no reason. I've been used." | "I've worked here for three-and-a-half years and now I'm being sacked for no reason. I've been used." |
| A Mini spokesperson had confirmed at the weekend that the company was in discussions with Unite union representatives over changes to shift patterns at the plant. | A Mini spokesperson had confirmed at the weekend that the company was in discussions with Unite union representatives over changes to shift patterns at the plant. |
| "Our first priority is to communicate with the workforce," the spokesperson had said. | "Our first priority is to communicate with the workforce," the spokesperson had said. |
| 'Angry and upset' | 'Angry and upset' |
| However, staff were angry about the way in which they were told about their job losses. | However, staff were angry about the way in which they were told about their job losses. |
| Bernard Moss, from the union Unite said: "[The workers] obviously weren't very happy and the biggest issue was being told one hour from the end of the shift that they hadn't got a job." | Bernard Moss, from the union Unite said: "[The workers] obviously weren't very happy and the biggest issue was being told one hour from the end of the shift that they hadn't got a job." |
| Reaction from workers to the job losses | Reaction from workers to the job losses |
| Worker Silvia Fernandes said: "I've been here for four years and I've never been sick, I've never missed work and they tell me one hour before that I've been sacked. That's not on. | Worker Silvia Fernandes said: "I've been here for four years and I've never been sick, I've never missed work and they tell me one hour before that I've been sacked. That's not on. |
| "That's why people are angry and so upset with BMW and the union." | "That's why people are angry and so upset with BMW and the union." |
| The company's 4,500 staff had returned to work on 5 January after an extended four-week Christmas holiday. | The company's 4,500 staff had returned to work on 5 January after an extended four-week Christmas holiday. |
| In December, 300 agency staff were told there would be no more work for them at the plant after the Christmas holiday. | In December, 300 agency staff were told there would be no more work for them at the plant after the Christmas holiday. |
| Global slowdown | Global slowdown |
| BMW, like most carmakers across the world, has been struggling in the face of falling sales during the economic downturn. | BMW, like most carmakers across the world, has been struggling in the face of falling sales during the economic downturn. |
| Overall, BMW sales fell by 4.3% in 2008, to 1.4 million vehicles, although Mini sales actually rose by 4.3% last year, to 232,425 cars. | Overall, BMW sales fell by 4.3% in 2008, to 1.4 million vehicles, although Mini sales actually rose by 4.3% last year, to 232,425 cars. |
| The carmaker is the latest in a long line of car manufacturers in the UK to announce plant closures and redundancies. | The carmaker is the latest in a long line of car manufacturers in the UK to announce plant closures and redundancies. |
| For example, Honda has closed its plant in Swindon for four months between February and May. | For example, Honda has closed its plant in Swindon for four months between February and May. |
| Do you work at the factory? Are you affected by the job cuts? Send us your views using the form below. | Do you work at the factory? Are you affected by the job cuts? Send us your views using the form below. |