Strike halts Mini producer

Staff at BMW’s Mini plant in Oxford have been sent home until Monday (June 29) after production was halted for a second day by a strike involving French suppliers.

BMW said a French firm which provides bearings for the cars’ steering units is being hit by an industrial dispute.

Close to 4,000 workers are employed at Mini’s Cowley plant and managers are monitoring the situation.

Mini said the circumstances were beyond its control and it was not the only manufacturer affected by the walk-out. (Autowired/bbc.co.uk: June 26).