HONDA workers in Swindon have secured union recognition for the first time since the firm came to the town in 1985.

More than half voted for representation by the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union (AEEU).

Under trade union laws, Honda is now obliged to recognise the AEEU as the workers' official represen-tative in talks over every-thing from pay to conditions.

Honda, which generally opposes unionisation, said it was looking forward to developing a working relationship with the union.

Meanwhile, there was jubilation among AEEU officials. Regional officer, Jim D'Avila, who is based at the huge South Marston plant, said: "I was given responsibility for Honda just over two years ago, when membership here stood at just under a hundred.

"We have worked hard to build membership up to a position where we were entitled to go for a ballot."

Mr D'Avila said that, of the 4,045 workers known as associates entitled to vote in last week's ballot, 77.1 per cent did do.

Of those, 72.8 per cent voted for recognition, meaning that 56.2 per cent of the workforce, or 2,273 people, were in favour.

This was comfortably more than the 40 per cent needed by law.There were 845 votes against recognition.

Mike McEnaney , director of Honda of the UK Manufacturing Ltd, said: "We respect the decision.

"We already have very good relations and com-munications channels with our employees, and this has been a major contributor to Honda's success at Swindon.

"We can develop a positive and constructive working relationship with the AEEU to help us further improve our business, and hope that this partnership will help to make our already excellent operation even stronger."