Jaguar Land Rover: Workers and businesses react to announcement
Yesterday Jaguar Land Rover announced that one of its Midland plants will close in the next five years. Will Oliphant, Gregg Evans and Paul Suart spoke to workers at Castle Bromwich and Lode Lane, as well as local businesses, to get their reaction.
Plans for Jaguar Land Rover to axe one of its Midland plants were met with fear and trepidation by the people at the coalface.
It is still unclear whether Solihull or the Castle Bromwich site will be the victim and the general feeling is that employees of the Indian-owned company are concerned with the uncertainty surrounding the issue.
However, their demands for a quick decision will fall on deaf ears because the automotive giant announced yesterday that this will not happen for another 12-18 months.
Meanwhile, traders around the two historic plants have outlined fears of a knock-on effect.
JLR employee Andrew Wood, who has worked in Solihull for 18 years, said he was worried at the latest setback.
“It will be a big loss if it goes because it’s been here for so long,” the 64-year-old said. “Lots of people will suffer if it gets knocked down.
“For me personally it’s going to be very hard to get another job if I’m laid off.”
JLR has stressed that there will be no compulsory redundancies but the feeling among staff is that if a plant is closed down, job losses will follow.
Papis Thmba has worked in the canteen in Solihull for six months and was shocked to hear about the plans.
“It looks like I’ve just lost my mortgage then. The feeling inside seems pretty much the same. It doesn’t sound good.”
Castle Bromwich plant worker Dave Saur, aged 60, from Ward End, has worked for the firm for more than 25 years.
“We knew something was coming for weeks,” he said. “I think they have tried their best to keep it going.
“Some people seem to care but others in management don’t give a hoot about the workers.
“In the current market the cars are far too expensive.
“We’ve been given a 10-year time frame so it could be they’ve got to find somewhere else to build the cars if they do close this place down.
“There are rumours they might send production to India which would be a great shame because Jaguar has always been associated with England.”
Dave Parsons, aged 55, a Jaguar body worker from Acocks Green said: “I’ve been here 34 years and I’ve always been happy. If Castle Vale goes it will be a great shame not just for the workers but the local community. We’ve all done everything we can for the company and can’t do anymore.
“They’ve said there won’t be any job losses, instead there will be job swaps with (Land Rover) Solihull.”
Jim Wilson was one of the employees in the trim and final department forced to relocate to the Castle Bromwich plant when Jaguar closed the factory in Browns Lane, Coventry, in 2005.
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