Leyland warning

Press, 24 March 1977, Page 16

Leyland warning

NZPA - Reuter London British Leyland car plants resumed production on Monday after a one-month disruption caused by a toolmakers’ strike and workers were warned that many of them would lose their jobs for good unless the company's strike record improved dramatically.

State-owned Leyland, the country’s biggest car-maker, lost £IOOM through the unofficial strike and 40,000 men were laid off. Leyland’s joint management council, on which both management and trade unions are represented, issued a statement saying, “It will not be enough to have an immediate improvement only to fall back later into the recent pattern of disputes and production losses.”

The statement, which was sent to all 120,000 Leyland car workers, said: “There has been much speculation recently about the likelihood of plant closures and the loss of thousands of jobs. Let no one doubt that it can happen.” As Leyland slowly returned to normal working, the toolmakers, who wanted extra pay for their skills, began pay talks with the management.

The strike leader, Mr Roy Fraser, has said that if no progress w r ere made there could be a new strike.