Jaguar Land Rover union leaders urge talks with Tata over workers’ futures
UNION leaders representing thousands of workers at Jaguar Land Rover have called for urgent talks with the heads of parent, Tata Motors, regarding their future.
Unite has written to Tata Motors chairman Cyrus Mistry asking for talks to clarify the position of the JLR workers.
The request comes amidst concerns for the future of another of Tata’s major operations in the UK, its steelmaking arm.
Calling for British-made steel to be used in JLR vehicles, Unite representatives have written to Mr Mistry expressing concern over Tata Steel UK’s future and Tata’s commitment to steelmaking in the UK.
The letter comes against a backdrop of job cuts and closures in Tata Steel UK’s speciality steel and long products division as fears mount over the company’s plans to sell its Scunthorpe plant.
In their letter to Mr Mistry, Bob Nason Unite chair of JLR and Ken Smith, Unite convenor at JLR Halewood write: “We have watched with increasing concern as the news unfolds that Tata Steel UK intends to dispose of its Scunthorpe plant by March 2016.
“These developments raise concerns for us about Tata’s plans within the UK as whole, as well as the immediate concern for our colleagues in the steel industry who are now facing an uncertain future.
“As automotive workers we know that this industry still relies heavily on steel to manufacture components and vehicles in the UK.”
While JLR has switched to all-aluminium monocoque construction for a lot of its new models, British steel is still used in all its vehicles to some degree.
The union convenors said: “The world’s best steel is produced by UK plants, by our Tata colleagues, and we are proud to use it in a number of the vehicles we produce.
“Therefore we urge you to ensure that this relationship can endure. We are of the view that you should ensure that steel automotive components used by JLR in the UK and the vehicles we make using steel here should use British made steel.
“We appeal to you now to meet with us to discuss your future plans, and to provide assurances towards your intentions towards the entire Tata UK workforce.”
The union’s national officer for steel and metals, Harish Patel has supported the car workers.
He said: “The steel made by workers at Tata Steel UK is world class and helps make some of the best cars in world. It is this relationship through the supply chain that has helped JLR become the success it is today.
“As well as urgent action from the government to support our steel industry, we need firm commitments from the Tata Group on steelmaking in the UK.
“Selling the long products division to speculators or walking away from steel producing in the UK will have lasting consequences not just to the Tata Group, but the wider manufacturing supply chain.”
