Mini agency job losses reach 380

The plant shut down for four weeks at Christmas

Oxford's Mini plant has revealed that an extra 90 agency staff were told not to return to work after Christmas.

Last year BMW, which owns and operates the site, said 290 agency staff would go but the final figure is now 380.

The company has also said that fixed holidays are being brought in for employees in 2009 and the Friday late shift has also been scrapped.

The move has been agreed by union bosses. BMW said it is responding to a severe drop in car sales.

It said it has a flexible shift system which allows the plant to deal with changes in demand during the economic downturn.

Production stopped for a month-long Christmas break on 5 January before closing again for three days, only five days later.

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, Mini sales in the UK fell by more than 32% in December compared to the same month in 2007 and total UK car sales were down by 11% to 2,131,795 for 2008.

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