BMW create Mini crisis with sacking of 850 staff

BMW today laid off 850 “temporary workers” at it’s Mini factory in Cowley, Oxford today with only one hours notice. Some of the staff had been working their over 5 years. Current employment legislation entitles employers to sack temporary workers without notice or any redundancy pay, which is what BMW did to 850 of there staff today, not ideal PR for the company or indeed the Mini or BMW brands.

Apparently, sales of the Mini in the UK were down 35% in January, so BMW decided to act without any consultation with the Unions or their workforce. Whilst these job loses at a major employer just down the road might be financially justified, the manner of the annoucement and treatment of the 850 ”temporary workers” is not. It is good that none of the permanent BMW Mini workforce are being made redundant – yet! All car manufacturers BMW seem to have done is create a Mini crisis!