'Safeguard British Leyland'
Page 50
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The Commercial Motor Show has come round again and the various foreign manufacturers were there in strength displaying to potential buyers their very good products and no doubt offering early delivery dates. . A tempting scene! British Leyland were there also displaying their first-class products. And if my experience is common throughout the country, regrettably are not offering early delivery, or indeed are in a position to 'tell you when you can expect delivery of one of their vehicles. This is a tragic situation.
Like many other operators, my company run quite a number of British Leyland vehicles and having had good results from them I am anxious to purchase more. But I find it impossible, with most of the ranges, to get a firm delivery date, or even any indication as to when it might be. I don't want to be forced into the foreign market and I cry out for help.
Surely there must be someone, somewhere who has the guts and the strength to stand up and say to the militants "For God's sake see sense and sanity before it's too late", or are the militants, as it would seem, hell bent on their plan to destroy British Leyland? I only hope that sense and sanity will be allowed to prevail in the end, and I call on all those who recognize the extreme seriousness of the situation to stand up and be heard in their fight to safeguard the company's future, and allowthem to be in a position to obtain their fair share of the market and therefore guarantee their own future also.
J B MIDGLEY, Managing Director, J. B. Midgley and Sons Ltd, Leeds. May I take this opportunity to say that as far as "it is obviously a very goo_ thing for employees of Seddon, from every angle" is concerned, the draughtsmen at Seddons made a request to management for a coach to take them to and from the Commercial Motor Show, in their own time on Saturday September 28. This was promptly refused, not only was the draughtsmen's coach refused, but the coach supplied for the foremen (an age-old "perk") has been stopped also. Since Fodens have organized a train for the transport of their employees to and from the Motor Show, I consider this a poor show by the combine and a very poor start to better industrial relations.
Also, so far as the "I've been very pleased at the way people at Seddon have taken to this" statement, there has been as yet, no official confirmation by management to employees that I.H. have taken over Seddon-Atkinson, except for the redundancies at our bodybuilding plant — Pennine.
OFFICE COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVES (Five names supplied) Seddon-Atkinson Vehicles Ltd, Woodstock Factory, Oldham.