Thursday, July 23, 2009
Mandelson to 'fight' for Vauxhall
Business Secretary Peter Mandelson has promised to "fight for every job" at Vauxhall's Ellesmere Port plant, as fears for the firm's future continued.
Vauxhall's US parent General Motors (GM) filed for bankruptcy earlier this year, and a buyer for the factory in Cheshire has yet to be confirmed.
Lord Mandelson toured the production line at the plant, where a 2,200-strong workforce is employed.
He told staff a decision on a buyer could be made "in the coming week".
Ellesmere Port has a contract to produce the new Vauxhall Astra model for the whole of Europe from September.
Lord Mandelson said the takeover race had been narrowed down to two parties, Canadian firm Magna International and Belgian investment group RHJ International.
Speaking at Ellesmere Port, Lord Mandleson said: "I want to end this uncertainty because we owe it to the workforce to tell them what their future is and to make sure it is secure.
"I am impatient for a solution."
"There are two main bidders... both have given a firm commitment to the future of Ellesmere Port.
"It not only has a glorious past but also has a prosperous future."
Government money has been pledged to secure the factory's future but, in return, a commitment from the eventual buyer is needed for the workers, said Lord Mandelson.
He added: "I need to know how many workers will be retained, what shifts they will get, and how long their employment can be guaranteed for."
Ellesmere Port employees dropped from a three-week to a two-week shift cycle earlier this year due to the economic climate.
The decision on the site's future will also affect 2,800 workers at Vauxhall's plant in Luton and staff at German sister company Opel.
The German government has also been called on to back a buyer, as most of GM's European factories are in that country.
DATED: 23.07.09
FEED: AW
