Workers reject Triumph terms to end piecework

Employees of Triumph Motors in Coventry have overwhelmingly rejected the company's pay and conditions package deal recently offered. With nearly all the 7,300 votes cast, a union spokesman estimated yesterday that 95 per cent of the workers were against the package deal, which aims to scrap piece-work payment-the source of so many industrial disputes.

Although the deal does offer wage increases of between £4 to £6 a week to the production employees, they are adamant, according to shop stewards, in wishing to keep the piecework system rather than adopt the measured daywork offered by the management.

Mr William Davis, the Triumph chairman and chief executive, said yesterday that the company now faced a diminished role within British Leyland. He added:  "The company's future is in the balance. Planned production and planned earnings would give us great stability. Without it we shall be insecure and we could be relegated to a very secondary role within the corporation."