Jaguar Workers and MPs to Lobby Ford at Paris Motor Show

LONDON, September 21 --

- Paris Motor Show, Wednesday 22nd September 2004, 3.30pm Paris Time Club and Restaurant Empire, Avenue Wagram, Paris

A delegation of workers from Jaguar's threatened Browns Lane plant in Coventry will join local MPs Bob Ainsworth and Jim Cunningham to lobby Ford tomorrow (Wednesday 22nd September) at the launch of the new Ford Focus at the Paris Motor Show.

Jaguar unions the T&G and Amicus are campaigning against the closure of Browns Lane and the loss of 1,150 jobs across Jaguar, announced by Ford last Friday. The unions say that members are paying with their jobs for the mismanagement of Jaguar, despite Browns Lane being one of the most productive plant in the Ford group worldwide. Union members at Browns Lane voted yesterday to back a ballot for industrial action to save the plant.

The delegation will be leaving Coventry train station at 6am, joining the Eurostar at Waterloo at 9am, in time for the lobby at 3.30pm (Paris time). Reporters, photographers, and camera crews are welcome to join them.

Derek Simpson, Amicus General Secretary, said: "We will take our fight wherever and do whatever it takes to get Ford to reverse their decision. Browns Lane is among the most productive and highest quality car plants in the Ford group and our members there do not deserve to lose their jobs."

Tony Woodley, T&G General Secretary, said: "Ford need to realise just how serious this is. Jaguar's decision to move production from Browns Lane will not only be devastating for our members but will undermine trust in agreements at Ford. It won't work for the business or for the unions and Ford need to think again."

Bob Ainsworth, MP for Coventry North East, said:

Jim Cunningham, MP for Coventry South, said: "Jaguar has been synonymous with the success of Coventry. Ford need to know that they cannot go around unilaterally breaking agreements because they've hit a bad patch in the trading cycle. When a company enters into an agreement with its workforce and unions it should honour it."

Catherine Bithell, Amicus press office, +44-207-420-8909 or +44-7958-473-224. Claire Ainsley, T&G press office, +44-207-611-2549 or +44-7976-832-169