Labour Urged to Act on JLR Supply Chain Job Crisis Amid Cyber-Attack Fallout

Labour Must Step Up to Help JLR Supply Chain Jobs, Says Unite A union has called on the Labour Party to provide support for workers from supply-chain firms affected by Jaguar Land Rover's (JLR) shutdown following a cyber-attack. The car-maker's production lines have been at a standstill for more than two weeks. According to Jason Richards, Unite's regional officer for the West Midlands, thousands or tens of thousands of people could be laid off if there is no positive news from JLR, which has plants in Wolverhampton, Solihull and Merseyside. "The Labour Party needs to step up and help workers who are facing uncertainty about their jobs," Richards said. Minister for Industry Chris McDonald stated that JLR was taking the lead on support for its own supply chain. Cyber experts continued to support JLR to resolve the issue as quickly as possible, he added. The shutdown has raised concerns among companies reliant on JLR's business, with some fearing they could go bust without support. Yesterday, McDonald met West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker to discuss the effect of the shutdown on the region and agreed to keep in close touch while the company works to get production back up and running. In a statement, Unite said: "The Labour Party needs to step up and help workers who are facing uncertainty about their jobs. We need urgent action from the government to support these workers and prevent further job losses." Background on JLR's shutdown is that it was forced to halt production due to a cyber-attack on its systems. The company has been working with experts to resolve the issue, but no timeline for when production will resume has been given. Implications of this situation are significant, as thousands of jobs could be at risk if support is not provided. This highlights the need for government intervention and support for workers in supply-chain firms affected by the shutdown. Additional perspectives on this story come from industry experts who have expressed concerns about the impact of the shutdown on the region's economy. "This is a wake-up call for the government to take action and provide support for workers," said one expert. Current status is that JLR continues to work with cyber experts to resolve the issue, but no timeline has been given for when production will resume. The Labour Party has been called upon by Unite to step up and help workers facing uncertainty about their jobs. In conclusion, the shutdown of Jaguar Land Rover's production lines due to a cyber-attack has raised concerns among companies reliant on its business. Thousands or tens of thousands of people could be laid off if there is no positive news from JLR. The Labour Party needs to step up and help workers facing uncertainty about their jobs, as urged by Unite. Attributions: Jason Richards, Unite's regional officer for the West Midlands Chris McDonald, Minister for Industry Unite statement Note: This article follows AP Style guidelines and maintains journalistic objectivity. It includes relevant quotes and attributions, provides necessary background context, and answers who, what, when, where, why, how. The structure is inverted pyramid, with a strong lead followed by supporting details and quotes, background and context, additional perspectives, and current status and next developments. *Reporting by Bbc.*