Jaguar workers vote for pay freeze

Workers at car giant Jaguar Land Rover have voted to accept a shorter working week and a one-year pay freeze to avoid compulsory job cuts, it was announced today.

Members of Unite and the GMB unions accepted the deal – 70% to 30% – after being urged to vote in favour by union officials.

The deal was thrashed out between union leaders and the company, which has cut around 1,800 agency, production and management jobs in recent months because of the downturn in the motor industry.

Workers at the company’s sites, including Castle Bromwich and Solihull in the West Midlands and Halewood on Merseyside, took part in the ballot on the deal, which is aimed at saving up to £70m (€78.8m) in costs.