Short time for 7000 at Jaguar

By Clifford Webb

British Leyland is introducing short time working for 7000 manual workers at two Jaguar car plants in Coventry. From Monday it will be operating a four day week which is likely to continue for two months. The night shift is also being reduced from four to three shifts.

But Mr Geoffrey Robinson, Jaguar's managing director, told Business News last night:  "I do not want people to get the wrong impression. Our sales are still very good. In the States they are running at record levels."

So why the sharp cutback in production ? Mr Robinson said: "We do not want to get into an overstocked situation and find ourselves having to put everybody on a three day week and close plants for weeks on end like some of our competitors."