A group of students joined protesters gathered outside the BMW Plant in Cowley at 6:00 a.m. on Monday morning, following announcements of mass job cuts at the factory.
Among the students were members of the Socialist Worker Student Society and the Ruskin art school.
The protestors displayed banners and handed out leaflets to hand to the plant workers arriving for the 6:00 a.m. shift. They were also present when the second shift began in the late afternoon.
Toby Harris from St John’s College said “The Trades Council has called for a mass leafleting, so that’s what we’re doing this morning. The people here today are from different Left groups trying to get workers to take strike action.”
He added, “There is a sense among people that this could turn out to be a major industrial battle.”
On Monday last week, BMW confirmed that 850 jobs were being cut as the plant would begin to operate five days a week rather than seven.
Some of those losing their jobs will not receive any redundancy pay because they were contract staff, not full-time employees, and consequently were given few employment rights.
A Ruskin student protesting against the job cuts said “It is shameful that they are getting rid of jobs while the company is still in profit. We think it is important that we’re out here showing that students care about the issue as well.”
A statement issued by BMW defended the job cuts, saying, “While Mini has been weathering the economic downturn, it is not immune from the challenges of the current situation” and noted, “This decision has not been taken lightly”.
A representative from the plant present on Monday morning said, “This is obviously a tough situation and it’s an emotional one”, adding, “Our main objective is to protect peoples’ jobs and so we had to get rid of 850 temporary workers.”
