Honda closure to hit Swindon town?

[robin_unreliant]

17 minutes ago, reddoc said:

Course not. It's just a huge coincidence. And anyway we'll be able to build our own cars and sell them to the Japanese soon , as they'll be much better.

The only reason Japanese car companies came here was to get round the import quotas set by the EU.

A new trade deal has just be signed by the EU that means this will no longer apply. It does seem suspicious that after all these years the EU has signed a deal just as Brexit happens.

There must be a suspicion the EU have taken the opportunity to stick the boot in and make it look like us deciding to Leave has caused this. The majority of Japanese car factories in the EU are in the UK.

If anything it is about the EU punishing us to stop others following. Who wants to stay in a bullying, unelected organisation that acts like that?

[reddoc]

12 minutes ago, robin_unreliant said:

The only reason Japanese car companies came here was to get round the import quotas set by the EU.

A new trade deal has just be signed by the EU that means this will no longer apply. It does seem suspicious that after all these years the EU has signed a deal just as Brexit happens.

There must be a suspicion the EU have taken the opportunity to stick the boot in and make it look like us deciding to Leave has caused this. The majority of Japanese car factories in the EU are in the UK.

If anything it is about the EU punishing us to stop others following. Who wants to stay in a bullying, unelected organisation that acts like that?

It's not tariff free till 2027 though and the tariff is still 6% in 2022 so not sure that explains the decision to close now. Not like the Japanese Government warned us though is it?

[CodeRed]

1 hour ago, Eddie Hitler said:

I went through one, not redundancy, and in the open meeting the question was asked whether objections would mean any changes.

The answer was that they would be recorded but no, the decision was made.

The only benefit I could see for workers from such consultation periods is that it means a delay in the implementation of the decision; which is a genuine benefit but much less benefit than people expect from a consultation process.

I've been made redundant twice during my working like when companies have closed down...... All the politicians come out of the woodwork and can't wait to go on tv and media with phrases like.  " We're doing everything we can to support the workforce and find alternative jobs" ........but it's all meaningless b's, the reality is you finish up on the given day, sign on, and nobody gives a fek- the jobcentre is worse than useless ( I think nowadays you just sign on online or by phone to a call centre) and you're on your own.

Probably about 12000 jobs including the supply chain will go. Terrible times for them.

[RedM]

Radio is saying it’s not a Brexit reason, if it were Honda would be relocating to within the EU. They have a factory in Japan that needs the work. They also said that they want to concentrate on electric models, Swindon is very much set up for the diesel and as we know the love for them has faded.

Media is also reporting the workers will be looking for employment along the M4 corridor, not sure what the Airbus people will be thinking of that for example? 

Saw a lot of employees leaving yesterday were driving Hondas, I guess they get a generous discount. Wonder if they will want to ditch them now they will be losing their jobs.

As people have said it’s the knock on effect, the local shop, cafe, pub, burger vans which suffer. The workers surely will get some sort of redundancy package, many saying they have been there 30 or 40 years, the local shopkeeper won’t get a penny.

[CodeRed]

The core staff will get redundancy,  a number (hundreds) of the assembly workers will be employed as (long term) agency workers and will get nothing.

Most large assembly plants employ a % of so called temporary staff - although many work there for years- to enable "flexibility" ie they can be fired any time.

[Mr Popodopolous]

1 hour ago, CodeRed said:

The core staff will get redundancy,  a number (hundreds) of the assembly workers will be employed as (long term) agency workers and will get nothing.

Most large assembly plants employ a % of so called temporary staff - although many work there for years- to enable "flexibility" ie they can be fired any time.

Correct- that is why companies increasingly use agency/temp workers.

Can be let go at any time, well not in all cases but quite a few. Naming no companies or no names, know someone who worked for a company that raises money for well known charities telephone sales- as in this sector, lots and lots of staff are temp.

Suits the charity because this company is part of the sector that specialises in it i.e. telephone fundraising, suits the business because if people are failing- and tbh it is target based so it's quite hard and fast- they can be replaced in due course and quite speedily at that- and it suits the agency because it is money for old rope in a sense- you have to really mess up to lose these contracts.

Guess which interested party this does not suit..(well those who are students perhaps, or those who want to work part time or who are retired, semi-retired looking to top up income that kinda thing it can be alright for).

Anyway yeah, the way they churn people at that place- all I can say is they actually got it up to the limit i.e. the very end of data and then no more work...but they recalled those they thought they could redeploy- when I say to the limit I mean they got them in for maybe 20-50 mins work on the Monday morning, told no more work in a ludicrous meeting. The charities must know about these practices- they have to.

That in a nutshell, is why I don't donate to large charities in most instances. The problem is it is such worthy causes, but the charities themselves and those they outsource to...not always so praiseworthy.

[Undy English]

Very sad day and best wishes go to the 3.5k work force who now find themselves jobless with an uncertain future.

Apparently nothing to do with Brexit, general motor trade, diesel engine reasons stated by others, plus a factory in Japan also closing seems to back this idea, but I can't imagine the political uncertainty has helped.

On a football related note, I imagine a large portion of the workforce were Swindon Town fans. As we all know, the time for renewing Season Tickets is upon us - and STFC has never been a cheap club to follow. I wonder if this news will impact the club as well?

[Major Isewater]

14 hours ago, Eddie Hitler said:

Honda is closing a plant in Japan as well; they are operating at 76% of capacity and so need to restructure.

https://www.auto123.com/en/news/honda-closing-factory-focus-electric/64028/

 

Brexit .

[Fiale]

15 hours ago, Judda said:

Innit. I bet half the people who are affected voted for brexit too...

 

7 hours ago, Fjmcity said:

this has EVERYTHING to do with brexit, the Rich mans con job.

 

Maybe you should tell the owners of Honda how wrong they are then as the have stated is it not due to Brexit, they are also shutting down plants in Turkey that are in the customs union. Simply put, demand is less, Diesel cars are no longer selling and Japan does not need to produce in the UK / EU now it has a EU trade deal and can import cars into the EU tariff free. So it's contracting and keeping jobs at home.

 

[Judda]

Brexit.

[Eddie Hitler]

8 hours ago, robin_unreliant said:

The only reason Japanese car companies came here was to get round the import quotas set by the EU.

A new trade deal has just be signed by the EU that means this will no longer apply. It does seem suspicious that after all these years the EU has signed a deal just as Brexit happens.

There must be a suspicion the EU have taken the opportunity to stick the boot in and make it look like us deciding to Leave has caused this. The majority of Japanese car factories in the EU are in the UK.

If anything it is about the EU punishing us to stop others following. Who wants to stay in a bullying, unelected organisation that acts like that?

Is the right answer.

[Eddie Hitler]

A few of these seem to pop up everywhere these days.

[holdec]

This is not because of Brexit, Honda Swindon is set up for diesel cars & diesel car sales have dropped off a cliff. The Japan plants are not at full production and are more geared up to build Electric cars.

Turkey car plant is also stopping production & it is still in the EU customs union.

[grifty]

19 hours ago, Fjmcity said:

Honda, Ford, nissan, jaguar job cuts, dyson ****king off abroad, Sony, Panasonic etc etc

To keep this footballing..ish, Not all might affect a football team but certainly all united by one thing. Shambles.

No Nissan job cuts, X-Trail (which isn't built in Sunderland) was decided to be built in Japan because its easier to export to America where it's the largest volume sold. It meant that there wouldn't be an extra load of jobs up in Sunderland, but there are no job cutbacks.

[Guest]

23 hours ago, grifty said:

No Nissan job cuts, X-Trail (which isn't built in Sunderland) was decided to be built in Japan because its easier to export to America where it's the largest volume sold. It meant that there wouldn't be an extra load of jobs up in Sunderland, but there are no job cutbacks.

I fully expect Sunderland plant to go in next ten years.   

Brexit or not and even joking side about it being Swindon I feel for the 3.5k losing their job and ultimately the many supplier companies that’ll probably effect a similar amount again on top of that initial figure 

[Arsene's Wanger]

On 18/02/2019 at 23:48, Judda said:

Innit. I bet half the people who are affected voted for brexit too...

If they were moving manufacturing to France or Germany then I might be inclined to believe this. It's going back to Japan though.

But yeah, Brexit.

[BS2 Red]

I actually believe Honda that this closure isn’t to do with Brexit. I’m sure Brexit hasn’t helped, but it appears Honda has many other troubles and the Swindon plant was not a roaring success.

But all those saying “diesel” are wrong. Only 6% of Honda Swindon vehicles are diesel.

[italian dave]

On 19/02/2019 at 08:21, robin_unreliant said:

The only reason Japanese car companies came here was to get round the import quotas set by the EU.

A new trade deal has just be signed by the EU that means this will no longer apply. It does seem suspicious that after all these years the EU has signed a deal just as Brexit happens.

There must be a suspicion the EU have taken the opportunity to stick the boot in and make it look like us deciding to Leave has caused this. The majority of Japanese car factories in the EU are in the UK.

If anything it is about the EU punishing us to stop others following. Who wants to stay in a bullying, unelected organisation that acts like that?

Nothing to do with "punishing" us. If you voted for Brexit then you voted to turn our 27 closest allies into our 27 closest competitors, so don't be surprised that they don't do everything we want.

I agree that the 0% car tariffs in the new trade deal may well have been influenced by the fact that none of the remaining 27 have the level of Japanese investment that we've had. The fact that with 0% tariffs the Japanese may as well manufacture at home is going to affect us far more than any of the eu 27. But why would you expect the 27 to worry about that? We're leaving.

If we were still a committed member then it's at least conceivable that the trade deal would have looked different. The EU is pretty good at sticking up for the needs of individual members countrys. Ask Ireland. The problem is we're in no position to ask. That, and the fact that our approach has traditionally been not to 'ask' but to 'demand'.

[Mr Popodopolous]

15 minutes ago, italian dave said:

Nothing to do with "punishing" us. If you voted for Brexit then you voted to turn our 27 closest allies into our 27 closest competitors, so don't be surprised that they don't do everything we want.

I agree that the 0% car tariffs in the new trade deal may well have been influenced by the fact that none of the remaining 27 have the level of Japanese investment that we've had. The fact that with 0% tariffs the Japanese may as well manufacture at home is going to affect us far more than any of the eu 27. But why would you expect the 27 to worry about that? We're leaving.

If we were still a committed member then it's at least conceivable that the trade deal would have looked different. The EU is pretty good at sticking up for the needs of individual members countrys. Ask Ireland. The problem is we're in no position to ask. That, and the fact that our approach has traditionally been not to 'ask' but to 'demand'.

This- why wouldn't they look after their own interests first and foremost?

They have possibly benefited through this is in many ways for them a happy accident, but it is a scenario might make possible leavers in other EU countries think twice.

In other words, likely not planned but they'd happily take advantage of this type of situation if the chance arose.