MG Rover sacked doctor who warned of lung disease, press conference told

Dec 17 2010 by Jon Griffin, Birmingham Mail

MG ROVER sacked a doctor who warned of breathing difficulties among Powertrain staff caught up in the world’s largest outbreak of occupational lung disease, it has been revealed.

Bosses at Longbridge dispensed with the services of the only medical expert to warn them there was a problem at the Powertrain engine plant, a union press conference was told.

The car firm’s “shoddy practices” were exposed by Unite officials at the briefing to mark the award of nearly £1 million in compensation to 79 former workers whose health suffered following exposure to dangerous fumes.

Payments of up to £180,000 have now been made to the workers in an out-of-court settlement following a seven-year legal battle.

The doctor involved was not named.