Unhappy New Year for Ford Workers - Bowles

11.45.00am GMT Mon 24th Nov 2008

As Ford bosses announce that Southampton's car plant will be closed for a further 17 days during the first quarter of 2009, amounting to a 4% pay cut for the site's staff Hampshire Liberal Democrat MPs Sandra Gidley and Chris Huhne along with Euro MP Sharon Bowles have announced that they will be meeting with Ford Europe's CEO on Friday in an effort to help the city's workers:

Bassett and Swaythling MP Sandra Gidley Commented: "This is just about the last thing that the city's Ford workers needed to hear. They have already been left short changed at Christmas - now there's no hope of a happy new year.

"We are looking at every possible angle to help the city's Ford workers, both at a national and European level."

Eastleigh MP Chris Huhne said: "It's one rotten piece of news after another for Ford Southampton and indeed the whole vehicle industry, where demand appears to have collapsed and is running at about half normal levels. My heart goes out to the families whose Christmas is going to suffer as a result of the uncertainty."

Hampshire MEP Sharon Bowles added: "We have to get the white van man buying white vans again - but with the economic difficulties there's been a big drop in demand.

"However we need to find out as well whether troubles in Detroit are leading to Ford pulling funds out of Europe, creating cuts here in Southampton to shore up the ailing American parent firm.

"The best Christmas present these workers could get this year is for British and European rescue packages to be delivered as soon as possible."