WORKERS at Jaguar Land Rover’s Castle Bromwich factory are to switch to a permanent four-day working week – after a large majority voted in favour.
The facility’s 2,500 Jaguar staff staged a ballot last week on the plans which union Unite said would ‘secure the future of the plant’.
Staff will now switch to a four-day, 37-hour working week from Monday to Thursday with the possibility of working on Fridays.
Currently they work a five-day shift pattern with extra Saturday working.
Of the workers who took part in the ballot, 84 per cent backed the changes.
The plan – known as the Merlin Gateway Agreement – was devised after an agreement between the company and union Unite.
Unite national officer Des Quinn said: “In backing these changes workers have secured Castle Bromwich’s future and paved the way for potential future investment.
“The changes will see vehicle production workers work a condensed week, offering them and their families greater work-life balance while ensuring Castle Bromwich’s proud history of producing iconic Jaguar cars continues into the future.
“JLR’s Castle Bromwich site is a powerhouse of the regional economy and the UK’s car industry.
“It provides a living for thousands of workers and supports many more in the supply chain.
“Unite looks forward to continuing discussions with JLR to ensure that this remains the case and that the car maker can look forward to a bright and strong future.”
The move comes after the car-maker announced a drastic savings plan in January amid on-going Brexit uncertainty and falling sales.
The move comes ahead of production of the trademark XJ model ending at the Castle Bromwich factory at the beginning of next month.
A JLR spokesperson ahead of last week’s ballot said: “We have made it clear that we want to continue to invest in our British plants.
“This is however conditional on us operating in a trading environment in which we and our supply partners can flourish, and that we can deliver the operating efficiencies required as part of our ‘Charge and Accelerate’ transformation programme announced in January.
“We can confirm that we are in consultation with our workforce at Castle Bromwich on a new gateway agreement which has been jointly developed with the trade union to secure the future of the plant.”
