11:07am Thursday 11th September 2008
By Simon Carr
A CAMPAIGN has been launched demanding that the threat of closure is lifted from Southampton’s Ford plant.
Ford workers and the National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN) have joined forces to fight for the future of the factory and the workforce of more than 1,000.
The campaigners are holding their first meeting this evening at Swaythling Neighbourhood Centre, Southampton.
Nick Chaffey, a member of the NSSN, warned that if Ford in Southampton closed it would devastate the city’s economy, lead to thousands of job losses in related industries and trigger a national dispute by unions.
He said: “Southampton workers face the prospect of joining the graveyard of the British car industry.
“Older workers may reluctantly accept packages but the younger section, will have nowhere to go.
“For them there is the dole queue, preparing for low-skilled, low-paid jobs.”
The NSSN is fighting to get a reassurance from the company that no more jobs will go and that there are no plans to close the factory.
It also wants the 120 short-term workers who are to be out of a job in October reinstated and the protection of employees pay and conditions.
Organising a national Ford shop stewards conference is also a priority.
In July the Daily Echo exclusively published a leaked memo that revealed that the future of the Swaythling plant was under review. Other leaked company documents showed that plant manager Martin Chapman believed the factory was at “a critical point in its history” and urged other managers to do all they could to cut costs.
It also revealed that the plant was running at a deficit of £6m against budget and may not get the contract for the new model Transit van, which could be made in Turkey.
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