Flexible hours kick in as LDV's UK sales slow
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MI Van manufacturer LDV laid off 500 workers for a half a day last week following a New Year UK sales slump.
This is the first time the Birmingham-based company has implemented the flexible working agreement which was introduced when LDV was formed from the ashes of collapsed Daf NV four years ago.
Bob Blakernore, district officer of the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union, says the union will be "watching developments very closely in the hope that it is just a temporary measure".
The LDV spokesman expressed optimism for the company's prospects for the rest of 1997, predicting that last year's record production figure of 17,500 would be exceeded.When LDV was formed in 1993 it was making just 200 vans a week.
LDV plans to increase its exports: the new model Convoy has just been launched in Spain and Singapore.