APPENDIX 16
Letter from the General Secretary Transport
and General Workers Union to the Chairman
The T&G welcomes the Select Committee's
decision to visit Vauxhall Luton to meet with the people who are
directly affected by the decision by General Motors to close the
plant. The impact on the local community would be far reaching—if
car production were to end in Luton, it is estimated that 5,000
jobs may be affected. We know that there are many companies in
Luton who will be affected both directly, as part of the supply
chain, and indirectly.
On the evidence that you will hear from Vauxhall
workers today, you will hear the cast iron facts, that there is
no economic case for closure and the productivity agreement with
the work force has been ripped up. This is not an ailing plant
it is a productive plant with an excellent workforce who deserve
better. The company's decision is an act of industrial vandalism
against the workers and the community.
Although we welcome the Select Committee's intervention
and visit to Luton, the decision to close Vauxhall's factory was
not taken in Luton but in Detroit. The decision to end car production
was taken by General Motors at a global level and as such only
the Global Chief Executive can provide the evidence required by
the Select Committee to carry out your inquiry.
I believe that you should therefore demand that
Rick Waganer appear before the committee, in order to justify
how General Motors have spent the previously received public subsidy
and why the company have broken the recently signed agreement
with their workers.
10 January 2001
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