Thaindian News

London, Jan 18 (IANS) Up to 1,800 jobs are under threat at Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) factories in Britain if workers do not agree to a pay freeze and a major new round of cutbacks, a newspaper reported.The report in the Birmingham Post, which serves a region where JLR is a major employer, comes amid protracted discussions between the government and the automotive sector for short-term government loans to help carmakers tide over a slump in demand.

Unions have been presented with a range of cutbacks - including 500 voluntary redundancies - to stave off further major job losses at JLR factories in Solihull and Castle Bromwich.

The newspaper Saturday quoted a Land Rover worker as saying: “There have been briefings from shop stewards and they have told us what the situation is. We have been asked to go on a four-day week, we will only get 10 percent of shift pay, we will have no holiday bonus, there will be no rise in November and there will be 500 voluntary redundancies.”

“If that is not accepted, there will be 1,800 redundancies across JLR.”

A joint statement issued by unions and management Thursday said: “The company and unions met for an update on the business and to discuss the urgent need to reduce costs in the light of the credit crunch.”

“The company and the unions have agreed to work jointly to seek alternative ways to reduce costs and avoid the need for any further redundancies,” it said.