We want jaw-jaw, not war-war!

That was the message to car giant Ford as 1,000 striking workers packed out Basildon's Towngate Theatre.

Union boss Roger Lyons told angry staff it was time for a show of strength in the face of Ford's inflexibility to force the company back to the negotiating table.

Workers from Basildon, Dagenham, Great Warley and Enfield converged on the town in the first strike at the firm to hit Basildon for nearly a decade.

The national one-hour stoppage was the first in a series of walkouts planned for coming weeks following a collapse in pay and conditions talks between Ford and unions MSF and ACTS.

A fleet of buses was laid on to ferry workers to the rally to listen to a panel of national union leaders.

Mr Lyons, general secretary of the Manufacturing and Science Union, said: "We have made it clear to management we want jaw-jaw, not war-war.

"It's more in sorrow than in anger that I have come here today.

"We want these negotiations reopened."

Scientists, engineers and office workers from the unions held a one-day walkout yesterday, with another one to follow next Tuesday, followed by a three-day strike from March 6-8.

It follows the rejection of Ford's proposal to merge the pension funds of salaried and hourly-paid workers. The unions claim the merger would hit staff benefits.

Workers are also demanding the same three-year 15 per cent pay deal offered to other unions.

The strikes follow last week's announcement that more than 1,000 jobs will go at Ford's Dagenham plant.

Denise Duignan, 24, an accountant at Trafford House, said: "We need to show them we are strong because of what has happened at Dagenham.

"If we back down it will send Ford the wrong signal."

Facts - union boss Roger Lyons relays the latest company news to Ford white collar workers at a rally at Basildon's Towngate

Picture: ANDY PALMER

Employees tell of 'sinister' pension merger

Ford workers expressed solidarity as they left the meeting at the Towngate.

Although many were nervous about the prospect of strike action, most appeared to be bolstered by the turnout and angry at their treatment by Ford.

Linda Harris, 54, an accountant at Trafford House, said: "The meeting has confirmed what most of us are feeling at the moment.

"Some of us had a few doubts whether we were doing the right thing at the right time.

"In view of what's happened we know the company is in a bad way at the moment, but we have been doing everything we have been asked to by Ford."

Union bosses told workers their skills were not being appreciated by the company.

The sentiment was echoed by workers.

Jo Balcombe, 26, also an accountant at Trafford House, said: "People are really demoralised at the moment - it would be nice to feel appreciated."

All workers vowed to continue striking until Ford was forced back to the negotiating table.

The most important point to be settled is the pension issue.

Steve Gallant, who works at Dunton, said: "It does take a major issue like this to force us to strike.

"The pension merger is very sinister and until it is sorted out why should we accept it?"

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.