The workers at the plant are dedicated and talented people who deserve much better than being thrown on the scrapheap
Unite the Union members from Swindon travelled to London to protest in front of the Houses of Parliament and lobby senior politicians in their fight to save Honda's only car production plant in the EU, which the company wants to close in 2021.
They unfurled a banner in front of the parliament with a message in English and Japanese urging Honda’s management to think again about their decision. The issue was raised at prime minister's questions - the major event of the week in UK politics - and many MPs signed the petition to save plant.
A delegation of workers from Honda's logistics site in Belgium travelled to London to take part in the demonstration, while staff at Honda's factory in Orléans, France, staged a symbolic stoppage of production.
This solidarity action follows a coordinating meeting at IndustriAll Europe's headquarters In Brussels last week between Honda workers from across Europe and is a first step towards brinding Honda management to the negotiating table over the future of Swindon and their whole European business.
IndustriAll Europe general secretary Luc Triangle said: “IndustriAll Europe will throw the full weight of its 7 million members behind our British affiliate, Unite the Union, in the coming months in order to save the Swindon site with skilled, well-paid and stable jobs. We will particularly continue to help coordinate trade unions across Europe representing Honda workers.
“The workers at the plant are dedicated and talented people who deserve much better than being thrown on the scrapheap by Honda and the UK Government. IndustriAll Europe will never accept that.
“IndustriAll Europe will stand with Unite and its members in its fight to defend jobs and communities and to get Honda to reverse its decision and agree a plan as proposed by Unite to save the Swindon plant.”
You can support the Swindon workers in their campaign by signing their petition to Honda chief executive, Takahiro Hachigo, which has been supported by more than 12,000 people in the last week.