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Manufacturing

BMW set to terminate contracts if final pension offer rejected

German car group plans for next stage in long-running pension dispute as union admits latest offer from company is "the best" that can be achieved

BMW's Hams Hall factory

Workers at BMW in Hams Hall are considering a final offer from the car manufacturer in a long-running dispute over pensions which could see staff shifted to new contracts if it is rejected.

The German car giant has this week put forward another reshaped offer in a final bid to bring to an end the ongoing row with staff and members of the Unite trade union.

The dispute centres on BMW's plans to close its final-salary pension scheme to future accrual, something which Unite has claimed could cost some staff up to £160,000 in retirement income.

BMW has been steadfast in its bid to move to a new pension scheme and has now said that one option to make the proposed change go through would be to give notice to terminate existing employment contracts and offer new ones in their place.

The company stressed these contracts would be on the same terms but without any entitlement to future benefit accrual under the defined benefit pension scheme, adding that nobody would be losing their job, be made redundant or have to reapply for roles.

BMW workers stage industrial action outside the Hams Hall plant in April

Unite has launched a new ballot of its members over this latest and final offer from BMW which runs until July 7 but it admits this is "the best" that can be achieved.

The pension changes affect staff at the Hams Hall plant in Coleshill, where low-emission engines and engine components are manufactured, along with workers at sites in Swindon, Mini in Oxfordshire and Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, West Sussex.

Eight separate days of industrial action were planned across the factories and, strike action was a revised pension offer from BMW.