Communist Web Tuesday 21st March 2000 9.30pm gmt Morris Appeals To PM To Save Longbridge MOTOR union TGWU general secretary Bill Morris appealed to Prime Minister Tony Blair last night to save Rover's Longbridge plant from closure by German car giant BMW. Union officials flew to Germany for urgent talks with BMW bosses prior to today's crunch board meeting. BMW bosses are likely to back the sell-off of Rover at the meeting, putting up to 50,000 West Midlands jobs at risk. Mr Blair told the Commons that he would do "all we can" and make good on offers to help support the Birmingham plant. But Mr Morris urged the Prime Minister to go one step further and seek urgent talks with BMW. He said that talks were essential to "ascertain what support is necessary to preserve the Rover Motor Company in the UK and safeguard the 50,000 jobs that are at stake." TGWU national secretary Tony Woodley said: "There is no doubt that my instincts tell me that we are dealing with the proposed break-up of Rover. "But we are still very much in the dark, "he said, adding: "We are being used as soft touches. "It's extremely serious and I am extremely angry at the way this is being played out and there's no doubt in my mind that the British workers and people are being treated despicably." BMW refused to comment further after its shock statement that it had been working on proposals to restructure Rover. The board is expected to issue a statement today and BMW is due to hold a press conference... http://www.billkath.demon.co.uk/cw/morris/morris.html
