Strikes at dashboard manufacturer could bring JLR production to a halt

More than 150 supply chain workers feeding Jaguar Land Rover’s Halewood car manufacturing plant have voted overwhelmingly for strike action over job cuts and pay.

The staff, at the nearby IAC plant, make dashboards for the motor manufacturer.

They recorded a 100% yes vote in favour of industrial action on a turnout of more than 90%.

Unite the Union says the company is planning to axe 87 jobs, remove shift premiums and reduce working hours for remaining staff which equate to a 19% attack on pay.

American-owned IAC recorded global revenues of £2.4bn in 2021, including £221m from its UK operations.

The workers are demanding that all redundancies are voluntary and that their pay is not reduced.

Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham, said: “IAC is being entirely opportunistic.

“Its finances are more than healthy. It is clear these plans are an unnecessary money-grab against staff, put forward because they mistakenly think the workforce is vulnerable.

“Unite always defends our members’ jobs, pay and conditions and IAC’s workers have the full support of the union in taking strike action.”

The dates for strike action will be announced in the coming days.

Any action is likely to affect JLR’s production, which is based on a ‘just in time’ supply chain.

Unite regional officer, Mike Gaskell, said: “Strikes will undoubtedly cause disruption to JLR’s production but that is entirely the fault of IAC for shamelessly attacking our members’ jobs and pay.

“The company needs to give cast iron guarantees that any redundancies will be voluntary and take the needless reduction in pay off the table.”