BMW union convenor Bernard Moss this morning said he was just “carrying out the workers’ wishes” when negotiating a settlement with Cowley car plant bosses.

After talks with staff and bosses Mr Moss and a union delegation agreed to shift pattern change, which ultimately led to the weekend shutdown at the plant and the loss of 850 agency jobs.

However, workers only found out they were losing their jobs an hour before their shift ended at 6.30am this morning.

But BMW said it given staff a full, seven day's notice and they would be paid for the coming weekend when they would have been working.

Many had been demanding information over the past week, but union officials had been silenced by BMW until the announcement was made at 5.30am when they were taken to a meeting room and told of their fate.

Mr Moss said: “We could not have done anymore.

“We said ‘look if you want us to remain as we are you will have to make the same amount of stand downs (as last year) or do you want to look at shift changes?’ The overwhelming majority said they were not prepared to do it again and wanted some stability back. They wanted a shift change.

“All we have done is carry out their wishes.

“I don’t blame them for blaming us. We had a rough time at the meeting — I would have been the same.”

Mr Moss added: “I believe it is appalling. That’s is not the way you do things.

“Unfortunately the union has taken the blame, not the bosses.”