Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

BMW To Cut 850 Jobs At Oxford Mini Plant: [Workers Booed and Threw Apples And Oranges At Managers]
London Times ^ | February 16, 2009

Posted on 02/16/2009 10:07:39 AM PST by Steelfish

February 16, 2009

BMW to cut 850 jobs at Oxford Mini plant

Marcus Leroux and Jenny Booth

BMW, the German vehicle maker, today announced plans to lay off 850 weekend agency staff at its Mini factory in Cowley, near Oxford, as the slowdown in demand for cars worsens.

Agency workers leaving Cowley this morning expressed their anger at being given just one hour’s notice of losing their job. The company made the announcements just as the staff affected were finishing their shift.

"It’s a disgrace. I feel as though I’ve been used. We should have been given one month’s notice, not one hour," said one worker.

John Cunningham, who has worked at the factory for more than two years, said he felt betrayed. "We’ve been given a week’s pay for an enforced week off, which I suppose is a week’s notice. I don’t know what’s going to happen to me and my family. It’s very scary."

Union sources said workers booed and threw apples and oranges at managers after being told the news.

(Excerpt) Read more at business.timesonline.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: automakers; bmw; booed
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-63 next last

1 posted on 02/16/2009 10:07:39 AM PST by Steelfish
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Steelfish
"It’s a disgrace. I feel as though I’ve been used. We should have been given one month’s notice

Why? So they could REALLY trash the place?

2 posted on 02/16/2009 10:09:36 AM PST by Fido969 ("The hardest thing in the world to understand is income tax." - Albert Einstein)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Steelfish

OK, make it an even 1,000 jobs.


3 posted on 02/16/2009 10:09:36 AM PST by Attention Surplus Disorder (Mr. Bernanke, have you started working on your book about the second GREATER depression?")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Steelfish

As if BMS wanted to do this.....(eyes rolling)


4 posted on 02/16/2009 10:09:52 AM PST by Badeye (There are no 'great moments' in Moderate Political History. Only losses.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Fido969

That was an unprofessional thing to do. They could have given the courtesy 2 week notice.


5 posted on 02/16/2009 10:10:29 AM PST by DonaldC
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Steelfish

LOL! If you’re gonna buy a BMW product, buy a real one. :0)


6 posted on 02/16/2009 10:10:33 AM PST by alice_in_bubbaland (WELCOME TO THE OBAMANATION!!!!! Markets and Marxists Don't Mix!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Steelfish

I’m sure there were valid reasons for cutting these people, but an hour’s notice is bullsh*t.


7 posted on 02/16/2009 10:10:50 AM PST by reagan_fanatic (Dissent Is Patriotic!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Steelfish

Apples and oranges? I guess they didn’t get the memo. The chic thing to do these days is to throw your shoes.


8 posted on 02/16/2009 10:12:32 AM PST by FlingWingFlyer (Have You Punched A Democrat Today? - Do it for the children.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Steelfish

I never gave notice to anyone I fired.

It was obvious when I handed them 2 checks in the middle of the week if it was after wednesday or one check between monday and wednesday.


9 posted on 02/16/2009 10:12:52 AM PST by dalereed
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Attention Surplus Disorder
OK, make it an even 1,000 jobs.

No. When the job cut plan was first drafted, the initial plan was to cut 525 jobs. That didn't save enough, so it was increased to 735 jobs. The final revised version has upped it to 850 positions , which is just the right number.

10 posted on 02/16/2009 10:14:31 AM PST by libh8er
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Steelfish

It says they are weekend agency staff. Doesn’t that mean they really work for someone else?


11 posted on 02/16/2009 10:15:11 AM PST by CindyDawg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Steelfish

Wise to not give the union thugs time to plan sabotage.


12 posted on 02/16/2009 10:15:14 AM PST by Seruzawa (Obamalama lied, the republic died.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: FlingWingFlyer
The chic thing to do these days is to throw your shoes

They don't wear them in Miss.

13 posted on 02/16/2009 10:16:08 AM PST by llevrok (The word "shan't" should be used more.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: libh8er

Forgot to mention, at the very infancy of the cost reduction program, BMW wanted to eliminate only 330 mid and lower level manager.


14 posted on 02/16/2009 10:17:05 AM PST by libh8er
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: libh8er

manager = managers.


15 posted on 02/16/2009 10:17:35 AM PST by libh8er
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Steelfish

Yes an hour’s notice was bogus...BMW had to known somewhat beforehand that they needed to lay off people.

They probably will bring in Third Worlders next week...


16 posted on 02/16/2009 10:17:55 AM PST by UCFRoadWarrior (The Biggest Threat To American Soverignty Is Rampant Economic Anti-Americanism)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: llevrok
They don't wear them in Miss.

Woops. I take that back. This is the UK.

Well, they could have thrown their dentures, but.....

17 posted on 02/16/2009 10:18:13 AM PST by llevrok (The word "shan't" should be used more.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Steelfish

...workers then immediately collected up the apples and oranges as they realized it would not be a good time to waste food.....


18 posted on 02/16/2009 10:19:15 AM PST by Secret Agent Man (I'd like to tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: reagan_fanatic
but an hour’s notice is bullsh*t.

It seems more like a week's notice, but it's still a tough pill to swallow.

19 posted on 02/16/2009 10:20:02 AM PST by Petronski (For the next few years, Gethsemane will not be marginal. We will know that garden. -- Cdl. Stafford)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: DonaldC

I disagree. I’ve been layed of twice in 40 years. We had heard that layoffs may be coming. The layoffs came on a Friday morning, not notice. Two weeks notice would not have accomplished a thing other than problems in production. If you are going to layoff employees, get it over with and get on with business.


20 posted on 02/16/2009 10:21:32 AM PST by RC2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-63 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson