High hopes for more UK jobs as GM talks near conclusion

Months of discussions about the future of car giant General Motors in Europe are set to come to an end this week, amid rising hopes for one of its UK factories.

There had been speculation that the Ellesmere Port plant on Merseyside could miss out on future investment, threatening job losses.

Key meetings will be held in the coming days, and workers are expected to be balloted on a number of issues before any final decisions are taken.

It is understood that nothing has yet been finalised, but there is speculation that US-headquartered General Motors is preparing to announce later this week that the new version of its Astra will be built at Ellesmere Port.

That would create jobs at the Merseyside factory, although the decision could come as a blow to other GM sites in Germany.

UK business secretary Vince Cable has been lobbying the car firm for months in a bid to attract new investment at Ellesmere Port.

Neither the Business Department nor Vauxhall would make any comment, and a spokesman for the Unite union said: “We’re still talking to the company about a future for the plant.”

It is thought that any agreement would be based on the willingness of the union to accept changes in working practices.

The workers at Ellesmere Port are already among the most productive of GM’s labour force in Europe. The group’s other UK plant, at Luton, makes vans.