CPA - The Guardian

Commenting on the announcement last week by Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) of its new plan for the future of the business, Unite union national secretary for the automotive sector, Dave Osborne said: “Earlier this year, this company and our union agreed a framework agreement intended to support JLR through this tough economic period. Our members said then that JLR could not be trusted to uphold that agreement. Today this has proven to be true.”

While Unite welcomed moves to “green” the JLR product range, the union is deeply concerned that an agreement struck with the union barely six months ago will not now be upheld and that the company is seeking to close the final salary pension scheme.

Dave Osborne continued: “In April our members agreed to changes to terms and conditions of their employment in order to give the company financial security, but like Oliver Twist they are coming back for more. It appears that the company is making our members pay for their failure to secure government funding.

“We recognise the difficult trading environment for JLR, which is why Unite and its members have done more to help JLR during this recession than we have with any other company. But while the company may say that the business cannot sustain further liabilities, the truth is by far the biggest liability is the company’s leadership team.”

Unite said that some of the problems the company faces today exist as a result of past management failures. These failures were at the hands of the same team who today want our members to lose their pensions. “Well, Unite’s members will not be paying for management’s incompetence and we will not stand by while those responsible continue to wreck havoc on this business.”

Unite and its colleague unions will be meeting as soon as possible to consider the Jaguar proposals in more detail.

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