UK Car Production Down 44.6%

[Eric]

Car production in the UK was down 44.6% in the first 8 months of this year (January to August 2008 compared to January to August 2009). So what, you may say, this is a postal workers' forum. I think it is significant for two reasons. First, it puts into perspective the alledged 10% decline in mail volumes.There is a recession on so, of course, volumes are falling.

More significantly, consider Lord Mandelson's attitude to the two industries. Has he told the car workers to modernise? On the contrary, he has introduced the Car Scrappage Scheme (imagine how much worse those production figures would have been without it) and he has offered Vauxhall hundreds of millions of pounds to retain production in Luton and Ellesmere Port. The potential job losses at Vauxhall are in the hundreds the potential losses in Royal Mail tens of thousands.

Why are Royal Mail workers being treated so shabbily?

[westlondonpostie]

It's just a shame that we do not have a car industry of our own anymore, Like everything else it was just sold off to Foreign companies that have shown no commitment to the British Workers.

[Night Tonic]

Well theres a misconception if not short memory. Car manufacturing died here because of relentless strikes and workers pricing themselves out of a job. The companies went elsewhere.

[fishtank]

Well theres a misconception if not short memory. Car manufacturing died here because of relentless strikes and workers pricing themselves out of a job. The companies went elsewhere.

Don't forget the multiple layers of outdated management?

[Night Tonic]

That too

[westlondonpostie]

Well theres a misconception if not short memory. Car manufacturing died here because of relentless strikes and workers pricing themselves out of a job. The companies went elsewhere.

Only after they were sold.

[axeman]

Well theres a misconception if not short memory. Car manufacturing died here because of relentless strikes and workers pricing themselves out of a job. The companies went elsewhere.

misconception 'tman' the manufacturers died because of lack of investment, models that were simply outdated and not up to the foreign level of standard equipment etc . If it was true that strikes were the cause they would have no car plants in britain at all would they .
Lets not forget that elsewhere in europe car manufacturers have moved production to exploit the lower wages paid in countries around europe, even mercedes are not all made in germany and thats why they are now nowhere as good quality as they once where .

[Night Tonic]

Ask the lads at Jaguar and Landrover on a three-day week

[axeman]

as we know all car plants u.k, usa, japan, europe are on short weeks if you remember not all that long ago honda u.k shut down for a long period and honda in japan where by the way striking isn't the 'norm' they are having production issues due to low sales

not down to striking though is it tman