Vauxhall workers march on Luton

The protesters feel the UK has been unfairly singled out

Thousands of car workers and their families have joined a huge protest in Luton over the planned 2,000 job losses at the town's Vauxhall plant.

Workers from other car plants in Britain and Europe, including Rolls Royce in Coventry where 1,300 jobs are under threat, joined Saturday's march.

Union leaders say Vauxhall's parent company General Motors (GM) is singling out UK operations unfairly in a cuts programme affecting the company's operations across Europe.

Production of the Vauxhall Vectra is due to end at the Luton plant in a year's time.

The feeling is that the decision must be fought, and fought hard

Tony Woodley
Transport and General Workers' Union

Workers involved in the campaign to save the Rover plant at Longbridge, and others from firms such as Ford and Jaguar also joined Saturday's action.

Sir Ken Jackson, general secretary of the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union said: "It is unacceptable for Vauxhall to close a British plant to solve a European problem.

"Vauxhall is profitable and productive and we believe there is a strong case for keeping Luton open."

Union leaders are also concerned about the future of another Vauxhall plant - at Ellesmere Port in Cheshire.

The firm has just over a month to decide whether to build the replacement for its Vectra model at the site.

Children will feel the effects of the job cuts as well

But Vauxhall's UK boss, Nick Reilly, denied that the UK was suffering more cuts than other production sites in Europe.

Tony Woodley, national officer of the Transport and General Workers' Union, said: "The feeling is that the decision must be fought, and fought hard."

Roger Lyons, general secretary of the Manufacturing Science and Finance union said the march would show the anger of the workforce to GM's decision to close the Luton plant.

He said GM had made £1bn profit from Vauxhall workers in the last 10 years, which corresponded to £100,000 per worker.

MPs on the commons trade and industry select committee are investigating claims that UK legislation makes it easier for multinationals to target cuts at Britain, rather than in continental countries where regulations are tighter.

'Breached agreement'

GM's decision to shut the Bedfordshire plant shocked unions in the light of recent successful negotiations that guaranteed new investment in the plant.

Unions representing the workers say Vauxhall's decision to close the Luton car plant breached an agreement they signed with the company in 1998.

But Vauxhall deny this, blaming the closure decision on huge over-capacity in the car market and on heavy European losses.

Union leaders also believe the move breaches European consultation directives, a claim they are pursuing through the courts.

GM workers across Europe will stage a day of action on 25 January in support of the Luton plant.