The scale of BL's problems

Here is the plant-by-plant position in the industry yesterday:

British Leyland:
Production has been halted at the central transmissions plant at Washwood Heath, Birmingham, by a strike involving 2,000 workers, with another: 1,700 laid-off. Car assembly at Longbridge and Cowley has halted, with 11,000 workers laid-off from their normal jobs but 5,000 at Longbridge called in on a temporary basis for stocktaking.

Last night another 1,300 workers were laid off at Abingdon, Oxford, Castle Bromwich and Smethwick. All output has stopped at the truck and tractor plant at Bathgate, West Lothian, with 450 clerical workers out and 4,500 production men idle. Another production standstill is at the Alvis plant in Coventry, BLMC's military vehicles division where 82 inspectors are on strike and 1,500 other workers laid off. About 250 staff employees, members of the Association of Scientific, Technical and Managerial Staffs, are on strike from the Jaguar, Rover, Triumph spares division at Canley, Coventry, over demands for separate wage bargaining arrangements.

The British Leyland strikers at Washwood Heath are due to meet on Monday. So far there are no indications that they will change their minds and accept the managements offer of a new £4 a week pay deal, or vote to return to work pending further negotiations, as the management has suggested. Car production halted by the disputes includes British Leyland's Marina, Allegro 1800, and Mini.