With 100,000 supporters expected to converge on Birmingham for the Rover demo this Saturday, Longbridge Convenor Tom Glennon spoke to LabourNet about the shop stewards’ perspective in their fight with BMW.

“We think there could be 100,000 or more here on Saturday. Car workers are coming from Ford Dagenham, Bridgend and Southampton along with GM Vauxhall at Luton and Ellesmere Port. Other industrial workers will arrive from Newcastle, Liverpool, Scotland. . . The Trades Council network is mobilising for this and faxes are pouring in from everywhere.

“The media in Birmingham are plugging the march daily and for the first time ever, we are not meeting any opposition. We have leafletted extensively and put our posters in supermarkets.

“I have also spoken to German newspapers and TV. We have no argument with German workers. It’s us today, it could be them tomorrow. BMW is our argument, and the Government if they don’t do something.”

What are your demands?

“We want Rover to be kept together. If we can’t persuade BMW to do so then the Government, either itself or in conjunction with others, must keep the whole company intact. Nationalisation is absolutely a possibility here. If the Government has an interest in the well being of people in the West Midlands, and if it can’t get a partnership it must take a major stake in the company itself, or it must nationalise Rover.

“Our researchers say that the company’s demise would cost the Treasury £400m per year for 6 years in regeneration funding.

“Some people may dislike the concept of Government involvement in industry. They must realise that they will have to pay the costs if we go down. The £129m currently allocated for a Task Force is of very little significance, as that kind of money won’t create significant jobs. Our basic skill is in building cars. Hi tech industries are already saturated and much less labour intensive, and anyway it would take us years to retrain.

“Last week, our National Automotive Secretary Tony Woodley thought there were options involving major car makers. Now he accepts, as do we, that this is not on the cards. So the pressure is on the Government to act.

“We put our points to the Trade & Industry Select Committee delegation here this week. But it will be easier to judge the political reaction after Saturday, particularly if we see hundreds of thousands on the streets. The West Midlands is a volatile political area with no rigid affiliations. If the Government doesn’t act, it will pay a price.”

Why is it essential to keep the company together?

“If Rover is split up, every plant will suffer. Cowley will get the Mini, but there is no certainty it would keep the R 75 whose prospects are uncertain anyway, even if it came to Longbridge.

“If Land Rover goes to Ford, they might decide to build 4x4’s in their own plants elsewhere, even in North America.

“Swindon’s only reason for existence is to supply us. If we’re not making cars, they’re threatened. Alchemy is talking about MG’s but it’s Mayflower, not Swindon, who currently make the body panels for sports cars.

“Alchemy do not meet any of the necessary committments. Their plans to convert Longbridge for niche car production of 40-50,000 units per year would keep 1500 people at best.

“There is a local businessman Cllr Hemmings, a Liberal. He’s talking about keeping jobs. I think he wants to keep the company together, but we haven’t spoken to him.”

What is the situation inside the plant now?

“Most of Longbridge will be laid off 3 days before Easter, and a couple of days after. We are currently on stand-downs every Friday until the week after Easter. I think the layoffs are more to do with surplus product rather than anything else. Because sales are dropping with all the publicity, we’re effectively overproducing.

“We had a Joint Shop Stewards meeting yesterday and people do see our approach as the only viable one.

“As for industrial action, nothing is ruled out. We have 4 weeks before the deal is cut and dried. You can be assured that the March and Rally will not be the last you’ll hear about us.”