Vauxhall Ellesmere Port Workers Facing Lay Offs

LONDON, October 19 -- Workers at the Vauxhall plant in Ellesmere Port, Merseyside are facing lay off tomorrow following strike action taken at the Bochum plant in Germany over the job losses announced there last week. Both Ellesmere Port and the Antwerp plant in Belgium are affected by the action taken in Bochum, which has interrupted the supply of key components in the manufacture of the new Astra 5 door hatch model. Production halted at the Antwerp plant today and it is expected that Ellesmere Port will stop production tomorrow afternoon.

The announcement by General Motors last week of 12,000 job losses across the whole of Europe mainly affects the Bochum and Russelsheim plants in Germany and the Trollhattan Plant in Sweden. The number of job losses has shocked all employees across Europe, 12000 job losses over two years equates to nearly 20% of the existing employees in GME. This figure added to the loss of build capacity will have a huge social impact in areas that are already suffering from high unemployment.

Mass meetings were held at the Vauxhall plants this morning as part of a day of action throughout GM in Europe.

Phil Allman, Trade Union Convener at Ellesmere Port said "The Union is working with the company to keep the impact of the lay off and it's effect on the workforce to a minimum."

The European Trade Unions are in agreement that there are better ways to regenerate the Company, reintegrating engineering design and other manufacturing related services into a homogenous, strategical approach to engineering and technological development.

Amicus, with the EWC, are prepared to negotiate on the European level a framework agreement for socially acceptable restructuring without forced redundancies and plant closures.

For further information please contact Des Heemskerk +44(0)7881-954965