The big MINI news is still unsurprisingly the recent release of 850 agency workers from BMW Group Plant Oxford, despite parent company BMW and the Unite union remaining virtually silent in response to strong rumours that that exact number of employees were about to be laid off. Reaction in the media, from the affected workers and the public at large has been varied, from hysterical and angry (MINIs damaged at the plant and food hurled at union reps) to relatively calm and considered, such as some of the voices heard in the video clip featured in a Times Online report.
The better known videos capture the heat of the moment as agency workers on the now scrapped weekend shift were informed of their fates. While the workers were given a weeks notice, the notice was handed an hour before the end of their final shift, as the plant is closed for a week as MINI do their best to balance supply and demand as sales appear to be falling dramatically in most markets in recent months, despite a year on year gain for 2008 over 2007. You can see the clips on video sharing site YouTube here, here, and here but be warned there are strong emotions and even stronger language for all to see and hear, so it might be wise to avoid this at work or in front of children.
To add to the cloudy job situation at the MINI plant, it has recently emerged that at least 520 of the 850 workers laid off don’t seem to know it yet. The Oxford Mail reports that many agency staff are “in limbo”, while 330 members of the weekend shift have been informed of their losses, those who work during the week have not yet been told their fate, some weekend staff also seem to have not yet received formal written notice. Whatever your views are on agency staff and associated rights and responsibilities, from the outside looking in this does appear a horrible mess for all those involved.
Unite have today issued a press release, condemning the treatment of workers by BMW, accusing the automaker of “treating your workforce with contempt”. The lengthy press release goes on to warn BMW that they should not go ahead with the further expected redundancy announcements this coming Monday. Using suitably emotive language Tony Woodley, joint general secretary of the Unite union, has written to Dr Norber Reithofer, Chairman of the BMW Management Board. Of the forthcoming round of redundancies, Mr Woodley is quoted as saying;
Notwithstanding any announcements you may already have made to employees, permanent or agency, we do not expect you to confirm any dismissals until we have had proper negotiations about the situation.
My members, be they permanent or agency, are workers with families and responsibilities, not some asset to be cast aside as cannon fodder.
I not only speak for my members but I think for Britain, when I ask for a meeting with your company to find a more acceptable solution to what I appreciate is a difficult time for BMW and the industry.
While the language is strong, some may feel the union’s position has been somewhat undermined by their handling of previous negotiations with BMW regarding the first round of redundancies, and indeed with their involvement with and representation of workers while they signed up to and continued to be employed on the contract terms that allow their employees to treat their workers in such a way, a way which Unite apparently find so distasteful. Cynics could say this is as much about saving face as it is saving jobs, the anger in the videos posted above appears as much directed at the union as it is BMW.
This week, while the plant is closed for MINI production, a jobs fair has been held in an attempt to help those newly redundant back into work, and local business leaders have also been reacting to the latest round of redundancies and the impact it could have on the local economy at large.
At the same time, news has emerged that workers at BMW’s pressing plant in Swindon, where panels for the MINI are worked into shape, are resisting attempts by their employers to shift them to Plant Oxford. Apparently staff at the Swindon plant are being lured by an offer of as much as £6,500 towards travel expenses (Swindon is just over 30 miles west of Oxford), yet only four have taken the up the offer, out of 150 employees BMW are attempting to move. BMW have denied the figures involved, but have admitted they are trying to move workers around to cover demand without laying off more staff than necessary.
Another story relating to the challenging times car manufacturers are facing globally which could have a bearing on the MINI are reports this week that parent company BMW are planning closer union with fellow German manufacturer Daimler AG. While reports have suggested the two historic rivals could end up sharing components, even touting the prospect of BMWs and Mercedes sharing vehicle platforms, the only solid news appears to be plans to share procurement of electronic equipment, which would afford the manufacturers greater buying clout, and result in better economies of scale, and lower prices.
As we warned, the MINI came in for further grief this week at the hands of the BBC’s consumer affairs TV programme “Watchdog”. The feature focused on reports of power steering failures in first generation MINI models. While for many MINI fanatics this issue is well known and documented (as this five year old discussion on MINI2 highlights), for the public at large and your average MINI owner this all came as new news and has sparked a certain degree of panic among current and would be owners alike. The Mail responded in suitably dramatic fashion, warning 223,000 MINI owners of their potentially dangerous ticking time bomb of a steering system, reporting that
Many motorists have had frightening experiences and near-miss crashes after the system abruptly cut out, making controlling their vehicles extremely difficult.
But, gladly, it hasn’t all been doom and gloom for MINI in the media. One of the most unusual group tests you’re ever likely to see, pitching the MINI alongside Land Rover, Aston Martin, Jaguar and Lotus, among others, saw the small car from Oxford named “The Best of British” by Auto Express.
The star of the show has to be the MINI. Not only is the famous brand an institution in its own right, but its modern interpretation of the pioneering original is also one of the most capable choices on the market.
Tags: bmw, bmw group plant oxford, mini, mini production, swindon
[...] (or one of the two of them) are now accusing BMW of treating employees with "contempt": Job cuts remain hot news, but MINI is “Best of British” | theSwitchback Weird thing to me about their stance is surely they were supposed to advise their members on their [...]