Jaguar to create thousands of new UK jobs

Car giant Jaguar Land Rover is to invest billions of pounds in its business, creating thousands of new jobs and safeguarding its UK factories, it was announced today.

The new jobs will include 1,500 at the Halewood plant on Merseyside next year, while the other two manufacturing sites at Castle Bromwich and Solihull in the West Midlands will be retained, ending fears for their future.

The company said it had ambitious plans for new models and volume growth and announced a “landmark” pay and conditions deal with trade unions.

The agreement, which trade unions will recommend to their members, includes a two-year pay deal worth 5% from next month, with a further rise of at least 3% from November next year.

Jaguar Land Rover said it will retain three plants in the UK, leading to the creation of thousands of new jobs in Britain over the next decade and billions of pounds-worth of investment.

The number of models in its range will be “significantly increased”.

Jaguar Land Rover chief executive Ralf Speth said: “This is a triumph for all concerned. We have ambitious plans for growth and the success of our products around the world and this agreement will allow us to accelerate and realise those plans.

“The agreement is a great deal for our workers and the company and we can now really get on with working together to achieve an even more exciting future for the Jaguar and Land Rover brands.

“We have already started by beginning to hire 1,500 new employees to support the launch of the new Range Rover Evoque at our award-winning Halewood factory in Liverpool.

“Our parent company Tata supported us through the recession and our employees also made sacrifices but now we are seeing a great turnaround in the business and everyone involved – our employees, our customers and our Tata shareholders - will benefit from this agreement. This is truly the beginning of a new era for Jaguar Land Rover.”

New staff in the manufacturing plants will start on lower rates of pay and receive lower shift premiums, increasing flexibility, the company added.

Unite said it was “fantastic news” for the company and its workers.