Making the ‘impossible dream’ a reality

Thousands of people joined together in Swindon on Saturday (March 30) in a stunning display of solidarity for Honda workers whose jobs are now threatened under a proposed plant closure.

The Save Honda March and Rally drew people from across Swindon, the South West region and further afield from all parts of the nation who stood defiant against Honda’s decision.

Honda worker and Unite member Mitch Harris, 57, was joined by three generations of his family — children, grandchildren as well as his mother (pictured below) — as he highlighted the impact the potential closure would have on all of them.

“At my age, the chances of me getting another well-paid job like this are minimal,” he told UNITELive. “If Swindon hasn’t got Honda, there’s going to be a massive dent in the economy. If we aren’t earning money from well-paid jobs, we won’t be spending it in our local community. Swindon is going to suffer massively.”

Mitch’s son Dan recalls when his father first started working at Honda.

“My father started a as an older worker,” he explained. “As a young adult, I remember him changing jobs to work at Honda and I thought – why would you do that at your age? But he worked his way up and has been a real inspiration to me.”

“I’ve always said, if Honda were to go, it would decimate our town,” Dan added. “And now my fears have become reality. The knock-on effect will be huge.”

Honda worker Laura Gammon was joined in support by her wife Becky (pictured above). Their greatest fears are shared among many affected by Honda’s announcement – will they be able to pay their bills in the future?

“Becky and I have just moved house – we’ve doubled our mortgage. How am I going to find another job that pays as well as Honda?”

Becky, who works as a carer, fears that she too will have to find different job that will bring in enough money to support their family.

“That’s the worry really – getting bills paid and the unknown,” she said, while Laura highlighted that other colleagues are even worse off than them.

“One of my friends, both she and her husband work at Honda. One of my neighbours down the road – they’ve got 15 family members working at the plant.”

Laura and other Honda workers said they felt betrayed by the way workers were informed of the decision through the news.

“I’ve been off only three times in the four years that I’ve worked there,” she said. “We are all very loyal, dedicated workers and the decent thing to do is reward us for that loyalty — to at the very least tell us about the closure before it got leaked.”

Honda production line worker Jose Fernandes (pictured below) agreed.

“When we left for work Monday, we were all happy,” he recalled. “Then we found out the news and we came home shocked and devastated. I enjoy my work and give 100 per cent. Honda is like my second home.”

Despite the palpable sense of fear, the worry that many in the town expressed at the march gave way to a feeling of hope and confidence buoyed by the demo’s turnout and the crowd’s energy.

“If there’s a fighting chance of saving our jobs then I’m up for it,” Mitch said.

His son Dan agreed and paid tribute to Unite.

“An event like this shows you how unions are there for workers. Where would we be without them?”

Bishop of Swindon Lee Rayfield (pictured above), who has served the town for the last 14 years, said he was confident of Swindon’s fighting spirit.

“There’s a deep sense of community here,” he said. “In times like this, it can help us care for our neighbours more – coming together like this will make the town more caring than it is already.”

Unite general secretary Len McCluskey tapped into this sense of hope as he addressed demonstrators at the start of the march.

“People often say, ‘Well, why do you go on marches? They don’t particularly achieve anything,’ he said. “Well yes they do. My experience tells me that when working people come out onto the streets to make their voice heard, then people do sit up and take notice. And the one thing I know about Japanese companies — none of them likes bad publicity.”

McCluskey (pictured above) outlined how the union, supported by the business secretary Greg Clark, would be putting alternative proposals to Honda to keep the plant open.

“I want you to make certain that you keep optimism and hope in your hearts,” he said. “We will make certain that not a single stone is left unturned in order to achieve what we want to achieve. This is the beginning of a campaign and I’m confident it will achieve justice, fairness and victory.”

The strength the case the workers and their union will put before Honda – that the plant is a viable one — was highlighted again and again on Saturday’s march.

Patrick Renard (pictured below), a Honda worker at a plant in Belgium who came all the way to Swindon in solidarity, explained.

“Swindon is a global plant. They’ve got a workforce that works very hard and is highly skilled. They have exceeded Honda’s quality standards – and so have set an example for all other plants around the world to follow. What is the point of not investing in Swindon?”

Mitch agreed.

“If Honda closes the plant, it will be their loss,” he said. “We’re a highly skilled workforce – the quality coming out of the plant is the best it’s ever been.”

Thousands of people marched from the Swindon F.C. grounds to the town’s GWR Park, where they were greeted by music from Unite’s Brass Band and, later in closing the rally, a set from pop singer and Swindon native Josh Kumra.

Speakers, such as Unite assistant general secretary Steve Turner, Mayor of Swindon Junab Ali and Labour’s shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey, among others, including Honda workers and Unite officials, addressed the marchers.

Long-Bailey (pictured above) highlighted that “the economic shock of [the Honda plant closure] won’t just be felt here in Swindon.

“It will ripple across the UK. Fifteen thousand jobs both at the plant and across the supply chain [gone]; £1.5bn knocked off our national GDP; £48m gone in tax — money that should have been going to our NHS and public services. The economic consequences are absolutely devastating,” she said.

“It’s critical that the government — that everyone we speak to — realises the economic importance of this plant.”

Unite assistant general secretary Steve Turner took note of the song the Unite Brass Band played at the rally – ‘The Impossible Dream’.

“This might be an impossible dream, but we’re going to turn it into a realisable reality,” Turner said. “We’re going to fight and fight until we get a different decision out of this business, to make sure that Honda stays here in Swindon, that they protect the jobs of the people in Swindon and that they give hope and opportunity to all those youngsters and families and kids that are looking for a decent job.

“They have no right to sell our jobs – they’re not their jobs to sell. Our task is to stand proud, stand united, to stand in solidarity with one another.”

Unite regional secretary Steve Preddy closed the rally, calling the event “an acorn day”.

“And from that acorn will grow the oak of a struggle,” he said to rousing applause. “And that struggle will see us win the victory to secure the Honda plant here in Swindon. With your help and support we will achieve that goal.”