F&I Management & Training

Almost four thousand staff at Crewe-based carmaker Bentley are going down to a three-day week. The firm has blamed the cut in production on the economic slowdown which has led to a fall in sales. The luxury car maker says there has been a 16% fall in global sales in the year-to-date, with demand dropping the most in the US market. Production line workers were told on Thursday that shifts were being cut from four days a week to three days. Staff will stay on full pay until production is stepped up again under a "time banking" agreement. Bentley says it is a temporary measure which is being monitored constantly and the firm expects the situation to remain challenging for the rest of this year and into the start of 2009. But Bentley says the steps should safeguard the brand's value and the future security of the company and its workforce.

DATED: 05.09.08

FEED: AW