Jaguar facing shutdown after workers at second factory give strike notice

By Clifford Webb Midland Industrial Correspondent

Workers at a second Jaguar car plant in Coventry yesterday gave the management seven days notice of strike action for more pay. The company now faces a complete shutdown. Yesterday's warning came from 3,000 men at the Browns Lane assembly plant. A further 2,000 men at the Radford component works have already given 14 days notice of similar action and this is due to begin on Thursday.

A company spokesman said last night: "Both disputes are going through the new British Leyland disputes procedure and there must still be hope. A meeting for further talks with the Radford employees is due to take place on Wednesday when the men return from their holidays."

There was better news elsewhere in British Leyland last night. The surprise collapse of strikes which had made 9,000 men idle at Austin Morris, Longbridge, and Cowley, Oxford, will enable a full resumption on Wednesday. Car production had been brought to a standstill at Cowley by a strike of 94 heavy goods drivers which caused nearly 6.000 men to be laid off. A further 3,000 were laid off at Longbridge because of a shortage of engines. This follows a strike by crankshaft machinists.