Jaguar workers feel betrayed by the company

Union members at Jaguar today voted overwhelmingly to oppose closure at the Browns Lane plant in Coventry and backed a call for an industrial action ballot.

Shop stewards and members of the &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/comp/2003/04/02/45495.html' target=_blank>Transport and General Workers Union (T&G) and Amicus at Browns Lane voted by 86% to oppose the cuts. Workers at the Jaguar research and development plant in Whitley voted to support them in whatever action they take.

Today's meetings at the Browns Lane, Castle Bromwich and Halewood Jaguar plants will be followed by "sounding" meetings across the rest of Ford UK this week including Land Rover, Aston Martin and Ford Blue Oval facilities and the company's research sites at Dunton, Gaydon and Coventry, the unions said, informs Guardian.

According to the Channel News Asia, "Jaguar workers are angry and feel betrayed by the company they have delivered so much for," Tony Woodley, general secretary of the Transport and General Workers Union, said Monday.

"Members are solid in their opposition to closure and they are being backed all the way by the unions' &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/world/2002/07/01/31546.html' target=_blank>leadership."

The date of the vote was not yet announced.

&to=http:// english.pravda.ru/society/2003/02/26/43766.html' target=_blank>Workers at the rest of Ford's British operations, including Land Rover, Aston Martin, Ford Blue Oval factories and other Ford research facilities, are also planning meetings to decide whether to join any strike.

Jaguar plans to keep 310 jobs to make wood finishings at the Coventry plant, move 425 staff to Castle Bromwich, and add 300 new manufacturing jobs at the Ford group's Aston Martin sports car plant.

Prior to Friday, Jaguar employed 6,700 people in Britain.