JLR workers to vote on pay freeze and four-day week

Feb 23 2009 by Jon Griffin, Birmingham Post

About 12,000 workers at Jaguar Land Rover are set to vote on whether to accept a one-year pay freeze and a four-day week in return for no compulsory job losses for two years.

The pay and reduced working week concessions form the key planks of a crucial framework agreement finally reached last week between Unite union leaders and JLR management in a bid to save up to £70 million in costs.

The agreement reached in principle will see JLR’s manufacturing operations work from Monday to Thursday, but only two hours trimmed off the working week and the loss of just one’s hour pay.

Unite union national car industry secretary Dave Osborne said: “We have now outlined the details of the framework agreement to shop stewards across Jaguar Land Rover.

“They overwhelmingly supported the recommendation from the negotiating committee that this document should go to our members with a recommendation that it is accepted.

“The agreement includes a shorter working week for manufacturing, with a two-hour reduction in production and a one-hour reduction in pay. It will be a four-day week in manufacturing areas.

“It is also true to say salaried areas will be asked to work additional hours for no additional pay.