Jaguar men vote to end strike

By Clifford Webb

The remaining opposition to BL management's imposition of its pay and conditions package crumbled yesterday when 1600 Jaguar workers voted overwhelmingly to end their three week strike. But as one strike ended a new dispute broke out at Cowley, the second biggest car plant in the group.

In a second dispute over changes in "togging-up'' allowances for men doing dirty work, 57 paint sprayers were taken off the clock and walked out in protest. A further 360 paint shop employees were laid off. Output of Maxi, MGB GT and Princess models is continuing, using existing stocks of painted bodies, but will be halted shortly.

Like workers in the recent strike at Longbridge, the Cowley paint sprayers are objecting to donning protective clothing in their own time, although since Easter they have been receiving a £3.12 a week increase in their special allowance which earns them an extra £11 a week. The Jaguar mass meeting in the Central Hall, Coventry was held after 16 hours of peace talks between shop stewards and management over the weekend.