Start Of Short Time Working

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT
COVENTRY, SEPT 4

The first short-time working of the autumn in the car industry-it is expected to become more widespread during the next few weeks-began in Coventry today.

At Standard-Triumph International, Ltd., 2,500 production workers employed on the Triumph Herald car are dropping from a five-day week to three days. The bulk of the men will be idle on Mondays and Fridays, the short time working being arranged to enable them to claim unemployment benefit.

The reduced hours are necessary because of the effect on the industry of the increase in purchase tax and the general credit squeeze, which are expected to reduce sales in the coming months.

Among other Coventry firms experiencing short time are Coventry Radiator and Presswork, Ltd., Alvis, Ltd., the Daimler Company, Morris Bodies and several smaller factories associated with Midland car firms.

Ministry of Labour figures announced by Coventry employment exchange today show that 7,250 men lost time from work last week, more than 1,000 of them being temporarily laid off because of industrial disputes. In the last week in July 1,800 were on short time, 400 of them because of labour troubles.

At Jaguar Cars, Ltd., Coventry, supplies of carburettors have been affected because of the month-old strike at the Birmingham factory of S.U. Carburettors, Ltd. The 1,000 men employed on the Jaguar Mark 2 saloon who were thrown idle on Friday and today will report for work as usual tomorrow and the prospects for the rest of the week will then be reviewed.

Temporary Return To Work By B.M.C. Men
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT
BIRMINGHAM, SEPT. 4

A large proportion of the British Motor Corporation car workers who were affected last week by the unofficial strike at the S.U. Carburettor factory in Birmingham were able to return to work temporarily today.

This followed a reorganization of supplies of carburettors by the B.M.C. An official of the firm said that how long work could be found depended on an early settlement of the strike.

At Morris Motors, Oxford, the 5,000 who were laid off returned to work, as did 1,000 workers at Nuffield Metal Products factory, Birmingham. There was also normal working at the Rover Motor Company, where 700 employees were sent home. The dispute by 21 toolsetters over an inter-union matter is to be discussed this week at the T.U.C. conference at Portsmouth.

100 STANDARD WORKERS GET NOTICE
One hundred employees of Beans Industries Limited-a Standard Triumph subsidiary at Coseley, Staffordshire-have been given a week's notice, it was announced yesterday.

Fifty are hourly paid workers and the rest members of the executive and clerical staffs. The company stated that it intended to close the works within the next few months and to transfer the equipment and machinery to its second factory at Tipton. It also hoped to transfer "most of the employees " from Coselcy, but the possibility of redundancy could not be ruled out.