Honda to scale back Swindon production
26 July 2012 Last updated at 14:42
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-18996759
Japanese car manufacturer Honda is to scale back production at its Swindon plant.
It blamed falling sales in Europe for the decision.
The company said a third of the 3,500 employees at the South Marston site would work a four-day week from September.
A spokesman said staff would not lose out because they were employed on flexible contracts that guaranteed they would be paid for a 37-hour week.
He said that the production of the new CR-V from September, and a new 1.6-litre diesel engine by the end of the year, meant that Honda was still forecasting a production volume in the UK of almost double the 2011 figure.
Jim D’Avila, regional officer for the Unite union, said: “The recession is biting deep and big successful companies like Honda are struggling to maintain a sensible level of production to retain everyone’s employment.
“Something governmental has to happen otherwise people’s jobs are going to be at risk long-term.”
