"It’s Not Just Pay"

Land Rover strike:

"It’s Not Just Pay"

LAND ROVER workers were on official strike on 26 January,
the first for 15 years. There were pickets of between 100 and 200 at the main
entrances and within five minutes two deliveries were turned back.

Joe Foster Birmingham

One picket told me that most deliveries and contractors
have respected the picket. But some management gave the excuse that they had to
go in to attend a meeting!

Another picket said: "We were promised parity with
Jaguar years ago. After all, we are making a bigger profit of £92
million".

Posters at the gate said: "It’s not just pay".
And a striker explained: "For years we have given up pay and conditions to
‘flexibility’ and now they want more ‘flexibility’ to meet their ‘business
needs".

In addition there is the possible loss of the Freelander
Model and 2,000 jobs! Workers feel that they have probably given up too much on
working conditions.

This strike follows four successful Saturday pickets at
Solihull to persuade contractors not to work. This was in support of the
overtime ban and ban on flexible working.

Workers are demanding parity with Jaguar Castle Bromwich
and Brown’s Lane Coventry.

The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA)
have reported a 1.2% decline in Rover registrations in 2002, from 72,287 to
71,386.

Comparing December 2003 with December 2002, they were down
2.7%. Whilst overall sales in Western Europe fell 1.3 %.

The ACEA are positive about the next year but who can
believe the figures? UK sales were reported to be up then rapidly adjusted down
because of a miscalculation.

It’s time workers inspected the books to see what the
bosses have done with the profits of our sweated labour.