A CLOUD of uncertainty hung over the BMW Mini plant at Swindon today in the wake of the job cuts in Oxford.

For this week the lines at the plant in Stratton St Margaret have ground to a halt after the company decided to scale back production because of mounting pressure on global car markets.

John McGookin, the regional industrial organiser for the union Unite, told the Adver last week that the combined impact of the closures at both BMW and nearby Honda would hit around 10,000 workers – those employed at the two plants, as well as service industries.

This week’s seven-day break, which coincides with the schools’ half-term holiday, is one of three seven-day breaks which the car giant has imposed on staff. There will be two more in August.

“If this closure safeguards jobs in Swindon we are behind it,” said Mr McGookin. “Shutdowns at Mini are not uncommon.”

For the staff at Swindon, they will be watching very carefully at how events unfold at Cowley and they will be awaiting more details about the 150 jobs which are “surplus to requirements” according to the company, and which will be transferred to Oxford.

One BMW worker said he felt very sorry for those in Oxford who had families to look after and mortgages to pay off. “It looks like Swindon got off lightly,” said the worker, who wanted to remain anonymous.

“The question is, will we be next?”

Speaking on BBC Radio Swindon, the worker said that there was already a voluntary redundancy scheme in operation at the Stratton St Margaret plant.

“Anyone can take it at any time,” he explained. “The point is, if you take the redundancy, how long will your money last? Will you get another job? There are not many car firms around – they are looking to shed jobs, not take on people.

“You’re faced with an absolutely impossible situation. We have been caught between a rock and a hard place. It is something we are all going to have to come to terms with.

“I don’t think we are as bad off as the Honda workers. They have been hit much harder than we were.”

The worker added that staff at BMW in Swindon were hopeful of a turnaround in the market. There are plans in March, he said, to launch three new derivatives which he hoped might spark an upturn in sales. “Hopefully that might give us more security,” he added.

“In the end it is all about sales. If we were selling more Minis then everyone would be happy. I don’t think the company are shedding jobs because they feel like it, they are making the decision because of the circumstances.”

Cowley started building the Mini in 2001 and the factory has a capacity to produce 260,000 models a year.

The car has been hugely successful, especially abroad, with 80% of the factory's output sold for export.

Worldwide sales were down by 35% last month and by a similar amount in the UK, in line with a slump which hit all car manufacturers.

Agency workers leaving Cowley this morning expressed their anger at being given just one hour's notice of losing their job.

"It's a disgrace. I feel as though I've been used. We should have been given one month's notice, not one hour," said one worker.

Derek Simpson, joint leader of Unite, said the job losses showed how deeply the recession was now affecting the motor industry, given that BMW was a "hugely profitable" firm and Cowley was an efficient factory.

He said: "There is a huge onus on the Government to take drastic action to support the motor industry and to encourage people to buy cars.

"The banks will also have to start making credit available again or this is going to lead to disaster.”