Representatives from Britain and Ireland’s largest union, Unite met
with Nissan management at the carmaker’s Sunderland plant today
(Monday 4 February) following yesterday’s X-Trail announcement.
Commenting after the meeting, Unite acting national officer
Steve Bush said: “Nissan were left in no doubt of our anger
and disappointment over how the X-Trail announcement leaked to the
media over the weekend. It has caused a great deal of anxiety among
a workforce in one of the...Request free
trial
Representatives from Britain and Ireland’s largest union, Unite met
with Nissan management at the carmaker’s Sunderland plant today
(Monday 4 February) following yesterday’s X-Trail announcement.
Commenting after the meeting, Unite acting national officer Steve
Bush said: “Nissan were left in no doubt of our anger and
disappointment over how the X-Trail announcement leaked to the
media over the weekend. It has caused a great deal of anxiety among
a workforce in one of the most efficient and productive Nissan
factories in the world.
“We pressed for guarantees on jobs and future production levels at
Sunderland and received firm assurances that the future production
of the Juke and Qashqai is unaffected and this is solely an X-Trail
decision.
“Unite will continue to press for further long-term guarantees over
future investment and new models to secure the site’s future for
generations to come.
“What this whole sorry saga shows is that the sector-wide
uncertainty caused by Brexit urgently needs to be addressed by
ministers because it is draining the industry of skills, investment
and new jobs.
“The government also needs to get a grip and do more to support car
workers and the industry in the transition away from diesel to
alternatively powered vehicles.
“Trashing diesel while pulling the plug on grants which help people
buy electric and alternatively powered vehicles, serves only to
confuse customers and the industry. Government ministers need to be
far more ambitious and invest more in electric charging
infrastructure, research and development to ensure the UK car
industry has a bright future.”
The sector-wide uncertainty caused by Brexit urgently needs to be
addressed by ministers because it is draining the industry of
skills, investment and new jobs.
