Selling your classic car? It's FREE to list your car on Honest John Classics | No thanks

Strike halts output of Montego

11 May 1984

Strike halts output of Montego
By Clifford Webb Motoring Correspondent

Production of Austin Rover's new Montego saloon at Cowley was halted last night by the latest in a series of unofficial strikes.
There is growing concern within the company that its commercial success may be fostering increased militancy on the shop floor. The Montego walkout came only hours after the ending of a week-long strike at Longbridge which cost output of 6,000 Metros worth £25m at showroom prices and threatened the impending launch of a new small Rover.

The new flare-up began when 40 men employed on the Montego final trim and assembly line ignored the advice of the plant committee and stopped work in protest at reduced bonus earnings. A further 300 men were laid off. Despite improvement in productivity, bonuses have fallen short of the £30-a-week ceiling. They are now around £15 to £16, the workers say. An Austin Rover spokesman said: "The remedy is in the men's own hands. Their unconstitutional action is typical of the sort of thing that has been happening recently and depressing the level of bonus payments, which are based on the efficiency of the plant as a whole."

Managers are worried that news of the company's recovery from losses of £101m in 1982 to a trading profit of £2m last year and the launch of a vital new model may have provided militants with both the ammunition and the timing for a fresh wave of "bushfire" strikes as a prelude to a serious confrontation in the autumn. A two-year pay deal involving increases of 5.6 per cent a year expires in November. It follows six years in which the highest annual increase was 6.8 per cent and the lowest 3.8 per cent.

Shop stewards insist that the time is overdue for Austin- Rover to end this austerity and reward employees for productivity. Management's answer is that the reward is already being given in the shape of revised bonuses of up to £30 a week.

More news from the archive

Tue, 01 May 1984
A strike last night stopped production of the Austin Metro for the second time in three weeks at BL's Longbridge factory in Birmingham....
Sat, 05 May 1984
Metro the top-selling car again but strike casts shadow over BL success By Edward Townsend Industrial Correspondent Evidence that...
Sat, 05 May 1984
Threat to Montego and Rover By Clifford Webb Motoring Correspondent Production of the Austin Rover's new Montego and a new small...
Tue, 08 May 1984
News in Brief BL pickets may halt the Montego BL car workers who are on strike will picket the factory gates of the Longbridge plant...
Thu, 10 May 1984
Metro deal A strike at the Austin Rover plant at Longbridge, Birmingham. ended yesterday after 10 days under a settlement which will...
Wed, 16 May 1984
Land Rover unions end Cardiff fight By Our Motoring Correspondent Union plans to fight the closure of Land Rover's Cardiff plant...
Wed, 23 May 1984
2,200 jobs to go at truck plants By Jonathan Davis and Ronald Faux More than 2200 workers in BL's loss-making commercial vehicle...
Wed, 23 May 1984
JOBS AXED IN BL SHAKE-UP By Paul Wilenius and Frank Urquart Both Mr Tebbit and the Prime Minister spoke of Government regret at the...
Wed, 23 May 1984
Britain Selling Leyland's Jaguar REUTERS Published: May 23, 1984 Jaguar, a British automobile legend, is to be sold back into private...
Thu, 24 May 1984
BL sales suffer from Ford price-cutting By Clifford Webb, Motoring Correspondent Austin Rover is an early casualty in the price war...
 

Compare classic car insurance quotes and buy online. A friendly service offering access to a range of policies and benefits.

Get a quote