ROVER TOMORROW
The New Deal At Longbridge
March 1992.

ROVER TOMORROW
THE NEW DEAL AT LONGBRIDGE
OUR FUTURE IS IN OUR HANDS ...


As you may already know the New Deal for Rover employees has been agreed in principle following joint discussions between the Company and your National and Local Trade Union representatives. People reading this may wonder why a deal like this, which really worked, could not have happened early in the life of Longbridge.

You will soon be asked to support the New Deal in a Trade Union Ballot.
We all believe that we are capable of being as good if not better than the competition we face in the car industry and our recent achievements are beginning to demonstrate this at Longbridge.

Our Quality levels are better and improving.

Productivity is up.
Scrap Rates are being driven down.
Our Customer Ratings are higher than ever before.

All of the above are being achieved by Teamworking spreading across the whole workforce.


Meanwhile, future exciting new model developments are being planned at Longbridge to build on these successes.

The 'K' engine is recognised as a Best in Class power unit.
The new 'T' engine is maintaining the success achieved by 'K'.


Introducing the 'New Deal' is critical to Rover realising the potential we are demonstrating at Longbridge and securing the future.The 'New Deal' will:-

__Increase further our commitment of team working.
__Give us extra flexibility to improve quality and lower costs still further.
__Remove the barriers which can exist between people by introducing Single Status Terms and Conditions, and getting - - -rid of outdated 'them and us' feelings.

Perhaps most importantly, people's fear of losing their job will be removed as Compulsory Redundancies will not occur at Longbridge. We will all be able to concentrate on improving our skills, increasing our flexibility and enhancing the Quality of our Products and our Working Lives without fear of Redundancy.

HOW WILL IT CHANGE MY WORKING LIFE? . . .

JOB SECURITY

__People who want to work for Rover will be able to stay with Rover. There Will Be No Compulsory Redundancies - - -In The Future At Longbridge.
__Rover is prepared to make this commitment to you in return for your commitment to make Rover the World's Best - - - - -Vehicle Manufacturer.
__For Rover to survive and grow we must work together and go forward as a Team.

TEAMWORKING

You will have the opportunity under the 'New Deal' to achieve your maximum potential.

__New ways of working are already being introduced at Longbridge with people getting more involved and having - - - - - -more of a say in what they do. This aspect of Team-working will continue to develop and spread
__Working SMARTER NOT HARDER is what Rover Tomorrow is all about by involving people and giving them - - - - -the Training they want to maximise their contribution to Our Business.
__Rover will increase its already great commitment to helping people to learn new skills and to improving - - - - - - - - - - - - -Communications between all levels and functions in Our Organisation.

ROVER TOMORROW
THE NEW DEAL AT LONGBRIDGE

TRADE UNIONS IN ROVER TOMORROW


- - -The Company is seeking to continue its partnership with the Trade Unions within Rover Tomorrow, as it - - - - - - - - - - - supports and recognises the need for responsible Trade Unionism.

- - -Indeed, it was only by full co-operation between the Company and the Trade Unions that the 'New Deal' was - - - - - - - - conceived and this cooperation will continue into the future as the 'New Deal' provides for:-

- - -Improved Training opportunities for Trade Unions Representatives.

- - -Independent Arbitration where the Company and Trade Unions wish this.

- - -Multi-Unionism on all Rover Sites.

- - -The Trade Unions therefore, clearly have a vital role to play in the Rover of Tomorrow.

________________________

People reading this may wonder why a deal like this, which really worked, could not have happened early in the life of Longbridge.

The answer to this was because in the early days of Longbridge and industry as a whole, each trade had its own union, of which there were many. Each union was trying to get a better deal for its members from the company. So this system of bargaining allowed one union to get a better deal from the company for its members, than another union, so encouraging a leapfrogging effect, by each trade union.

The main way of rewarding a Shop Floor worker was by means of Piecework. This is where a Rate-fixer would time every operation and work out a price for each operation carried out. This could be in simple terms be a machining operation or time taken to fit a steering rack on a car.

The main problem with this system is that worker "A" would be earning £1 per hour and worker "B" further down the track would be earning £1.05 per hour.

Having looked at data from 1965, see details below, we can see how different trades and which section they worked on can affected their pay.

Adult Pieceworkers Februry 1965