'I found out I lost my Vauxhall job on WhatsApp'

3 hours ago 31

Getty Images A black and white photo of workers helping to build a Vauxhall Victor. A woman wearing a headband and technician's coat is working on a car engine.

After nearly 120 years as a driving force in the town, Vauxhall Motors is putting the brakes on its hardwired association with Luton. The parent company Stellantis announced yesterday that its van-making factory would close and 1,100 jobs were at risk. Where will this leave the town's economy and local people?

'Knock-on effect'

Sam Read/BBC A worker in a Vauxhall Luton plant, working on a van, with tyres and car parts around him. There is a lot of machinery, hanging from the ceiling and more vans in a production line.

A forklift worker at the plant, who has been with the company for 10 years, said he was "pretty depressed" by the news.

He said finding out he was losing his job via a WhatsApp message from a friend - having not been at work when the announcement was made - was "pretty rubbish".

"There's a lot of people there, a lot of people coming up to retirement and youngsters - it's going to hit the town hard," said the man, who spoke to the BBC anonymously.

"As there's a lot of people that depend on Vauxhall to supply parts, there's going to be a big knock-on effect.

"It's going to hit the town hard. It will be huge."

He described how a lot of companies supplied parts to Vauxhall, adding: "We have over 500 lorries a day coming to Vauxhall, from all over the place."

He said, being in his late 50s, he believed it would be harder for him to get another job, but he had his "fingers crossed".

"Luckily I've done other training so I can look for jobs elsewhere."

'Deeply troubling'

PA Media Rachel Hopkins wearing a black jacket over a red dress, asking a question in the House of Commons, she has dark long hair, glasses and has a necklace on. The seats are green leather, she is talking into a microphone and is holding a sheet of paper.

Rachel Hopkins, the Labour MP for Luton South and South Bedfordshire, said the news was "deeply troubling" and a "real blow" for the town.

She said she was committed to working with government, Stellantis and Unite the Union to secure the "best solution" for the town and its "highly skilled" workforce.

"Luton depends on these high-quality manufacturing jobs to drive local growth and support national prosperity," she explained.

"The Vauxhall plant is part of the fabric of Luton’s heritage and vital to our local economy.

"For over a century, generations of Lutonians have worked there, contributing to the production of vehicles like the Vivaro van.

"These efforts have created jobs and attracted investment."

'Not a surprise'

Reuters A sign outside Vauxhall's Luton plant in Luton, on 4 April, 2018, showing a red Vivaro van, on a big grey building with a fence to the right.

Prof David Bailey, a car industry academic from the University of Birmingham, described how staff had worked "really flexibly for decades" at the factory and pulled out "all the stops" to keep costs down.

"It's not a surprise. Stellantis has been warning for some time how difficult it is to make parts and cars in the UK."

The company had already called on government to do more to boost consumer demand in electric vehicles.

"It's terrible for [the Luton workers], we don't know how many jobs will be shifted to Ellesmere Port (in Cheshire)."

He also echoed concerns by Stellantis from July last year - that higher tariffs on exports to Europe,following Brexit could put jobs in jeopardy.

A spokesman for the government said: "We have a longstanding partnership with Stellantis and we will continue to work closely with them, as well as trade unions and local partners, on the next steps of their proposals.

"The government is also backing the wider industry with over £300m to drive uptake of zero-emission vehicles."

'Bounce back'

Stephen Huntley/BBC Hazel Simmons, looking straight at the camera, with short bobbed dark hair, wearing a burgundy and blue and pink patterned dress.

Hazel Simmons MBE, the Labour leader of Luton Borough Council, said: "It's a devastating blow for our town, it's deeply destressing news.

"We are ready to support in any way we can and will be meeting with the plant’s management and trade unions to discuss practical help we can give at this time."

She said the local authority would ask the government what support would be provided for the staff.

"Vauxhall has been an integral part of Luton’s heritage, and this is a sad day for our town, but we are a strong and resilient town, and always bounce back."

'Not acceptable'

Getty Images The entrance to the assembly plant of the automotive manufacturing company IBC Vehicles Ltd, operating under Vauxhall Luton and producing light commercial vehicles, in December 2021. It shows blue metal gates, red barriers, and a grey building with lots of windows

Unite the Union, which represents workers at the site, said the proposal "has been a complete slap in face for our members in Luton".

"We stand ready to support our members in doing whatever we can to ensure that historical vehicle manufacturing is maintained in Luton and we call on the government to do the same."

A history of Vauxhall Motors in Luton

Getty Images A black and white photo of a long car production line in a large warehouse. The cars in the foreground have no wheels and workers can be seen working on the vehicles

1903: Vauxhall begins making cars in south London but moves to a new factory on Kimpton Road in Luton in 1905

1914 - 1918: During World War One, the company supplies cars for the war effort

1925: General Motors takes over Vauxhall, although the company retains its model range

1931: Vauxhall’s Bedford range of trucks and buses begins being produced in Luton

1940: As the company becomes a major supplier of lorries during the World War Two, 39 workers are killed in a German bombing raid

1950s: Truck production shifts to Boscombe Road in Dunstable. However, Luton retains van production until the demise of the Bedford brand at the end of the 1980s