Hundreds of Jaguar workers and their supporters have demonstrated in protest against plans by Ford to end car production and cut 1,150 jobs at Jaguar's main plant in Coventry.M

Protesters marched through the centre of Coventry on Saturday to demonstrate against the cuts at the Browns Lane plant, which were announced in September.

Members of the Amicus and Transport and General Workers Union (T&G) unions will begin voting on Monday in a ballot on industrial action that runs until December 13.

T&G general secretary Tony Woodley told the crowd: "This is a justifiable dispute to stop British workers and Jaguar workers being the cannon fodder of multinational companies."

Jaguar management and unions are scheduled to meet in the first week of December to discuss the closure plan. But Ford has insisted the steps are needed to stem losses at Jaguar. Jaguar chief executive Joe Greenwell said last week the brand would lose hundreds of millions of pounds this year and not break even until 2007 despite the job cuts.

Jaguar is shifting car production from Browns Lane to another factory near Birmingham.

(Source: reuters.co.uk)