THE production line at the Cowley Mini plant will be closed until Monday, bosses have revealed.

A strike at a supplier of steering components in France has meant the plant will continue to be closed throughout the weekend until the early shift on Monday.

Plant spokesman Rebecca Baxter said: “The situation is beyond our control and the strike is affecting other manufacturers, who are also unable to obtain parts from a French supplier.

“Affected associates have been given due notice of the situation, and we are providing regular updates via a dedicated website and telephone lines.

“We are monitoring the situation closely and are grateful for our associates’ understanding at this time.”

Ms Baxter confirmed that the 3,700 affected workers would receive basic wages during the shutdown.

They will then have to work back the lost hours under parent firm BMW’s Working Time Account scheme where overtime and lost hours are “banked”.

A Saturday shift under the working time account had been due to operate tomorrow, which would have been staffed by workers looking to pay back their hours built up when the plant had a shut- down earlier this year.

Ms Baxter added: “The Working Time Account is a a flexible way to ensure that our associates are given continuity of pay.”

The first shift back after the production break will also mark the beginning of the new 11-shift system with all Saturday shifts restored and occasional Sunday working starting next weekend.

BMW scrapped the weekend shift in February after a drop in orders with the loss of 850 agency workers’ jobs.

Now 250 workers have been taken on to cover the extra shift, which has come after an upturn in orders.

The current stoppage mirrors a similar situation a year ago when Spanish lorry drivers went on strike against rising diesel prices, stopping the supply of brake discs. That led to Mini workers being laid off from Friday evening until Monday evening.

A trial of 40 electric-powered Mini cars, called Mini Es, will start around the county in the autumn, as part of a £25m national trial of greener forms of transport.