36 replies to this topic

[sir Jake the brit]

unfortunately the demand isn't there so why should BMW pay people when there not needed, it's awefull whats happened but, it is afterall, happenening all over the world.


throwing eggs, those people need to grow up i'm affraid!

it'll all come back around and the planet will boom again soon, blue skies thinging everyone. keep smiling!

[Jammy]

unfortunately the demand isn't there so why should BMW pay people when there not needed, it's awefull whats happened but, it is afterall, happenening all over the world.

Eggxactly! What is the point in continuing to make cars, and making even more of a loss and therefore endangering more jobs?

It is pretty cruddy that they only got an hours notice, but as Dave says, if some of them had eggs, it does make you wonder how much 'unofficial' notice they had!!

[nurseholliday]

As you have all read and have seen for your selves on the news today the agency workers got 1 hour notice to state their positions were terminated at 5.30am, yes i know they are only tempory staff but they shouldnt have been treated the way they were!!!! especially when they have been there alot longer than that of some of the contract staff that kept their jobs.

If you don't like how agency workers are dealt with, don't become an agency worker.

Do you think everyone can be that choosy, or would you prefer they just sign on if they can't find a job that offers decent terms of employment?

I spent 5 years working for agencies, through choice? No. I was earning £6/hour for a job worth £35k. The fact is I couldn't get a permanent job. I got sacked after 6 months in one job, I was plugging in 55 hour weeks on average (the only way I was going to make a decent amount of money).

Did I complain? No. That's agency work.

Edited by nurseholliday, 17 February 2009 - 07:09 PM.

[The_Mistro]

unfortunately the demand isn't there so why should BMW pay people when there not needed, it's awefull whats happened but, it is afterall, happenening all over the world.

Eggxactly! What is the point in continuing to make cars, and making even more of a loss and therefore endangering more jobs?

It is pretty cruddy that they only got an hours notice, but as Dave says, if some of them had eggs, it does make you wonder how much 'unofficial' notice they had!!

agreed! at the end of the day buisiness is buisiness, and bmw are a buisiness, like everyother company, their aim is to make money! and the less overheads you have, the more chance of making a profit and staying afloat! and as said before they havent actually done anything wrong! they are agency workers, although its bad for them, and i do feel sorry for them, and wish them all the luck in the world finding new jobs! but it is a bit petty throwing eggs, although rather comical at the same time! especially if they were rotton!

[taffy1967]

I heard they scratched and damaged some of the BINIS too?

Still, BMW has Mini United to look forward to and at 35 quid per person entry fee, they should do well.

[1380MEDlee]

Here is the exact meeting footage to see for yourself how these people were sopken to and treated!!!

http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

[wolfie]

As you have all read and have seen for your selves on the news today the agency workers got 1 hour notice to state their positions were terminated at 5.30am, yes i know they are only tempory staff but they shouldnt have been treated the way they were!!!! especially when they have been there alot longer than that of some of the contract staff that kept their jobs.

Its not morally correct but yes they should have been treated that way and us brits and our crap british car industry are to fault, in the past when people have been laid off within the car industry and given notice they have damaged the machines so personally i dont blame them at all, Second a temporary contract is just that everybody knows what temping is and everyone knows that when things go bad constuction and cars are the first and worst hit' so i dont see it being a surprise myself and it keeps the rest of the plant going, not that i am saying i want people out of work, what has surprised me is that 150 workers at swindon have been asked to travel to oxford (32 miles) while being given £6500 travelling expenses for two years and they have refused! very short sighted imo as theres 850 trained workers in oxford that would walk over them for those jobs, its clearly a cultural issue stemming back to the rover days

Edited by wolfie, 18 February 2009 - 09:10 AM.

[Jammy]

Given that it was such a large workforce there, and emotions were clearly are running quite high in the days running up to the announcement. If the managers had decided to give, for example, three days notice, do you not think that some of the workers may have sabotaged or damaged some of the cars as they went through the production line?

[THE ANORAK]

well although i have every sympathy for anyone who loses their job at the moment the way this people behaved is appalling.

what makes them think anyone else gets anymore notice when they are laid off ??? in the times that i have been laid off, on two occasions the only notice i got was a strange bloke in a suit coming up and going "turn the machines off and come into the canteen please" and ten minutes later "your all losing your jobs".

did i react like a child?

the fact is... nobody's job is safe. its not just these guys

[Juju]

Holy sh*tpigs I actually agree with THE ANORAK.

Unfortunately there is no truly sensitive way of telling someone they no longer have a job. Being transparent & keeping rumours to a minimum is a good plan, but nothing can prevent the fact that Management just has to give you the bad news, then, in a sensitive situation like this, escort you swiftly off the premises to prevent a backlash.

I do sympathise with them, but the retaliation is just sad.

[slyoldfox2001]

The questioin is - what was written in their contracts of employment.

If the notice period was 1 hour then they only have themselves to blame for not reading their contracts to well.

If it wasnt then they have right to disagree and kick off.

[wolfie]

sly i take it you did not read the thread

they are temps and as such they have no contract with BMW and there manpower contract will be worthless

[Ethel]

Employment without rights is how they did things back in the 19th century. I hope that as a society we don't want people exploited just because they have no alternative? Probably the jobs did have to go, or the whole workforce would have to have had their hours cut. Why were BMW employing agency workers to do the same job over several years alongside their own staff? Is there any other reason anyone can suggest other than to exploit their reduced employment rights?

I really don't see where competition comes in to it - We're in the EU and should be pushing for equal treatment for all employees, with all employers playing by the rules no one would be disadvantaged by treating their workers fairly. Outside of the EU there's such a massive disparity in wages and conditions that we haven't a hope of competing on cost anyway. We can only compete by producing top quality products 'n that requires a valued workforce.

Having heard a rumour that incites you to go prepared to protest isn't an excuse for bad management. If anything it illustrates how poorly the situation was managed. BMW might wish they could have these workers back if things pick up further down the line.

[Juju]

Employment without rights is how they did things back in the 19th century. I hope that as a society we don't want people exploited just because they have no alternative? Probably the jobs did have to go, or the whole workforce would have to have had their hours cut. Why were BMW employing agency workers to do the same job over several years alongside their own staff? Is there any other reason anyone can suggest other than to exploit their reduced employment rights?

Agency staff are far cheaper to employ & far more flexible to increase or decrease in numbers. Permanently contracted staff incur overheads, estate costs, indirect costs, pensions & a nice redundancy package.

I really don't see where competition comes in to it - We're in the EU and should be pushing for equal treatment for all employees, with all employers playing by the rules no one would be disadvantaged by treating their workers fairly. Outside of the EU there's such a massive disparity in wages and conditions that we haven't a hope of competing on cost anyway. We can only compete by producing top quality products 'n that requires a valued workforce.

Valued workforces are expensive to keep happy, unfortunately. If your staff is cheaper to maintain then you have an advantage over your competitors.

Having heard a rumour that incites you to go prepared to protest isn't an excuse for bad management. If anything it illustrates how poorly the situation was managed. BMW might wish they could have these workers back if things pick up further down the line.

They might well get them back, you never know. Staff willing to accept a 5 year "sentence" of agency contracts without being able to renegotiate to permanent contracts don't strike me as having much of a choice about where they work.

[1380MEDlee]

Employment without rights is how they did things back in the 19th century. I hope that as a society we don't want people exploited just because they have no alternative? Probably the jobs did have to go, or the whole workforce would have to have had their hours cut. Why were BMW employing agency workers to do the same job over several years alongside their own staff? Is there any other reason anyone can suggest other than to exploit their reduced employment rights?

I really don't see where competition comes in to it - We're in the EU and should be pushing for equal treatment for all employees, with all employers playing by the rules no one would be disadvantaged by treating their workers fairly. Outside of the EU there's such a massive disparity in wages and conditions that we haven't a hope of competing on cost anyway. We can only compete by producing top quality products 'n that requires a valued workforce.

Having heard a rumour that incites you to go prepared to protest isn't an excuse for bad management. If anything it illustrates how poorly the situation was managed. BMW might wish they could have these workers back if things pick up further down the line.

A few good points made there, but i think if Bmw orders for the Mini do pick up then they will struggle to get the same work force that they had before the announcement, i do feel really sorry for these guys, what you must also realise is when these workers went to get a job at Bmw they are told they have to be a agency worker first before they eventually if lucky receive the contract!!

These guys have been there as long as 6 years dont you think they wanted to be agency workers?? they had no choice in the matter non what so ever???

Thats why Bmw can bin them like a peice of rubbish and its all legal to do so.!!!

I feel for them, if only they had of been told that it could have been that way they would have been let down a lot gentle instead, i know some of these guys personally and they told me monday after they was told, if they had of known weeks earlier they they would have been able to try and get something sorted to get a job instead of being treated like that when most thought all was ok for now, as the R57 was being unvelied in Austria next month!!

They would have not dameged the cars either as they would have been treated like adults and would have had time to think and be normal about it!!!

Its bad when you read the Sunday Mirror the day before to see that your job has finished even before the announcement, Bernard Moss needs sacking him self!!!

Ibet alot of Bmw uniforms were burnt on the door step of plant oxford to show the anger, really i cannot blame them, also who to say a Bmw guy stood at the back of the room threw the orange/apple so that they could finish the meeting, who knows????

All i can say my heart goes out to them, keep your chin up boys...

No more to add!!