Car workers strike halts UK Vauxhall production
Production of Vauxhall cars in the UK was halted today because of a shortage of parts caused by a strike in Germany over job cuts.
Workers on the afternoon shift at Ellesmere Port were told to stay home on full pay, leading to the lost production of hundreds of Astra models.
But production was expected to resume “very soon” after German car workers voted to end their industrial action.
Workers at the Bochum plant walked out last Thursday after General Motors, which owns Vauxhall, announced it was to cut 12,000 jobs in Europe.
Around 6,400 workers at Bochum voted for a return to work while 1,700 voted against.
Vauxhall said it would not know until later this evening or tomorrow when delivery of components to Ellesmere Port would resume.
The factory, which builds over 700 cars every day, is now expected to resume production in the next few days.
Germany is expected to bear the brunt of the 12,000 job cuts, although union officials said 430 jobs will be lost in the UK over the next two years.
General Motors was forced to halt production in Antwerp yesterday because of a similar shortage of components.
A spokesman for the Transport and General Workers‘ Union said: “The T&G supports our colleagues across General Motors and will not do anything that undermines the position of our colleagues in Germany.”
Production of the Vivaro van in General Motors’ Luton factory is not affected.
