Jaguar Land Rover asks workers to take on four-day week

Production of the XJ model (archive image above), which is built at the factory, finishes in July

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is to ask more than 2,500 workers at a West Midlands factory to switch to a four-day week to secure the future of the plant.

The company said it was consulting with staff at Castle Bromwich and a ballot would take place this week.

Production of the XJ model, which is built at the factory, ends on 5 July.

Employees currently work 37 hours in five days. Their hours would remain the same under the plans with the factory shutting down for a day, JLR said.

"Even though the plant would be working the same number of hours, doing so over four days would deliver operational efficiencies that would improve productivity and competitiveness as part of the overall agreement," the firm said.

An agreement had been developed "to secure the future of the plant", it said this week.

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The company, which has previously announced a £2.5bn restructuring plan, stated it had made it clear it wanted to "continue to invest" in British plants.

"This is however conditional on us operating in a trading environment in which we and our supply partners can flourish, and that we can deliver the operating efficiencies required as part of our 'Charge and Accelerate' transformation programme announced in January," it added.

In a letter to members seen by the BBC, the Unite union said it had "no hesitation" in recommending accepting proposals.

A Unite spokesperson said it was consulting members at JLR's plant "over a new agreement aimed at securing the future of the site" and it would announce the outcome "in due course."

In September 2018 it emerged about 1,000 workers at the Castle Bromwich plant would move from a five-day to a three-day week from October until Christmas.