MR Ken Roper asserts that I have no conception of how the motor car industry works (View Points, August 20).
I certainly know how it does not work! I worked briefly at the Cowley plant in 1977, on rear door handles and then promoted to assembling front door handles.
In keeping with the Ryder Report, drawn up by someone who had never been on the shop floor – probably a bean counter – it was recommended that car parts in reserve would be kept to a minimum.
The consequence was that by midday Friday, the whole assembly line would run out of fittings. Those on the line were sent home on full pay, only to have to return on Saturday morning when a fresh order of fittings arrived.
For the Saturday morning we were paid treble time – this occurred on a regular basis!
So, Mr Roper, those in charge of the motor industry had no concept of how the motor industry works either.
GLYN LIMMER Roosevelt Road Long Hanborough
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