Unions demand State takeover
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SYMPATHY for Leyland shop stewards' demands for a merger of British Leyland with Chrysler UK into a nationalised conglomerate is thin on the ground—especially among the ranks of Chrysler shop stewards and workers.
Leyland stewards, representing over 120,000 workers, have proposed the merger "to halt any further erosion of the British motor industry".
They say that Chrysler's conduct "shows the contempt which multi-national com panies had for trade unions and workforces."
A Leyland spokesman told CM this week that no official request had been made for such action, and added that nothing would be done in response to "mere hearsay."
Chrysler employees are more concerned about their own job security than the politics of company ownership, and have been encouraged by a company statement issued after news of the= proposed Peugeot-Citroen tfikeover broke.
The company has confirmed its intentions of continuing to launch new models, and has made particular mention of the forthcoming 50-series panel van which is a successor for the long-running Dodge Walk Thru.
While some parties have speculated about a possible eventual move of commercial vehicle production to Chrysler Espana's plant in Spain, there is no doubt that the 50-series will be a British vehicle, designed and built in Dunstable.