BMW Cuts Jobs At Mini Plant

BMW cuts jobs at it’s Mini Plant in Oxford despite announcing the arrival of new model.

THE outrage from workers at Mini’s Oxford plant has been splashed across the papers for the last few days. 850 workers were told that they would not be coming back to work with some having as little as one hours notice.

The scenes broadcast from a public hearing with a union leader were heated to say the least. Workers feel that the money they had put into their union, Unite, was wasted as they feel they were betrayed and let down.

The workers were agency staff and not full time employees at the plant. Having changed from a three shift pattern to a two shift pattern many were cut. Those permanent employees missing out on work will be paid for the standard hours.

After hearing reports from around the world’s media, BMW’s own press site seemed a likely place to find answers but there was no mention. The incident received no acknowledgment on the BMW Group Press site. Despite recently announcing that there was a new model on the way, called the Mini Convertible John Cooper Works.

Billed as the fastest, small cabriolet ever it remains to be seen how many, if any, will to be made and sold in England after this recession is over.

Ed Dooley

17/02/2009