The
T&G union has requested a face-to-face meeting with the American president
of General Motors to discuss the proposed 2,000 job losses at Vauxhall’s Luton
plant.
A
spokesman for the T&G said the union wanted to meet with Richard Wagoner to
try and persuade the company to think again about the closure of the plant.
The union is threatening to take industrial
action after at least 7,000 T&G Vauxhall workers voted to strike in protest
at firm’s decision to cease car production at Luton.
Members affiliated to the T&G union voted
58 per cent in favour of a walkout as part of its campaign to continue car
assembly at Luton.
The
T&G spokesman said the union’s general secretary Bill Morris is in America
on other business and he was optimistic a meeting could be arranged.
He
commented, “We have said very clearly that we want to have a face-to-face
meeting. The situation has changed with this ballot. We believe GM is more
likely to come to the negotiating table.
“GM
said to us that they have a problem with their European operation. If it is a
European problem then the solution to the problem should come from across
Europe and not just Britain.”
However,
members of two other unions voted against taking industrial action. The
Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union said its members voted by 1,363 to
1,074 against a stoppage but in favour of industrial action short of strike
action.
The
Manufacturing Science and Finance union, which represents white-collar workers,
said its members voted against all forms of industrial actions.
Ben
Willmott
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