Next Wednesday there will be a Westminster Hall
debate moved by Labour MP Jack Dromey on the proposed closure of
the GKN plant in Birmingham.
Further to our request for information in advance, Mr Dromey's
office says he will be calling on Melrose
Industries to meet in full its commitment to find an alternative to
closure of the plant, as was given by Melrose CEO Simon Peckham
before the BEIS Select Committee in February.
Mr Dromey will say that at the next stage of the ongoing
consultation process, it is crucial that Melrose now sit down with
the workers to look at alternatives to closure to prevent the loss
of 519 jobs. The workers' union, Unite, have been working to
develop their own business case to rescue the plant. Melrose must
make clear its intention to engage in good faith with the workers
in the coming weeks to explore such alternatives.
will be speaking for the Labour Frontbench.
Press Release from Jack Dromey
'Bolt out of the blue' as GKN close another Birmingham
plant
GKN today announced the closure of its Chester Road
plant, putting 519 jobs at risk and an end to over 50 years of
history at the site
Three years on from the hostile takeover of British manufacturing
firm GKN by Melrose Industries, GKN management have today
announced the closure of the GKN Driveline plant on Chester Road,
Birmingham. The decision follows just two years after the closure
of GKN's Aerospace plant in Kings Norton.
After promises made by Melrose during the takeover bid to make
GKN a 'British manufacturing powerhouse', today's announcement
was completely unexpected by the workforce, with one describing
it as a 'bolt out of the blue'. Indeed, workers' trade unions had
until recently been in discussions with the management of GKN
about boosting investment into the Chester Road plant.
GKN Driveline is a world-class producer for the automotive
industry and one of the biggest suppliers into car plants across
the West Midlands, specialising in the production of driveshafts
and prop shafts. The firm's history dates back over 260 years,
with GKN having produced cannonballs used at the Battle of
Waterloo and parts for Spitfires used in the Battle of Britain.
The Chester Road plant has been in operation for over half a
century and once produced parts for the original Mini Cooper.
Jack Dromey, MP for Birmingham, Erdington, said:
"Despite all the warm words by Melrose in 2018 to protect the
future prosperity of GKN and its British workforce, the cold
reality three years on is that one of GKN's finest plants now
faces closure. Melrose promised a bright future to GKN's
employees - a promise they have now broken.
"This announcement is completely unexpected by employees at GKN.
Working together with their trade union, Unite, I will be seeking
an urgent meeting with the company.
"Government Minister's also have a responsibility to act after
promises they made at the time of the hostile takeover. The then
Prime Minister, , promised me on the floor of the House of Commons that
the Government would always act in the UK national interest. We
now face the potential of British workers seeing their jobs move
abroad to one of GKN's many continental plants.
"If this Government means what is says when it aims to level up
our country, this must start here and now with an urgent solution
being found to keep the plant open."
-- ENDS --
For further information, please contact Ciaran Walsh, Office of
- ciaran.walsh@parliament.uk / 07792 851852
Notes for Editors:
