Ready to fight at Hoover

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"THE Company are attempting to fight a psychological battle - 'low wages mean job security'. It's the same worn-out tune we've heard before, accepted before and lost 3,000 jobs! There's no way the workforce will accept it this time."

That's how Eddie McAvoy, shop stewards' convenor at the Hoover Factory in Cambuslang, reacted to the company's latest plans for "viability"

The plans include:

1) Four options: a) cutting the workforce at both Perivale and Cambuslang; b) concentrate work at Cambusiang and close Perivale; c) concentrate work at Perivale and close Cambuslang; d) close both factories.

2) The next plant agreement will have a minimum period of 30 months.

3) Any agreement should include a period free of strike or other disruptive action.

4) No increase in wages until the company has a profitable year behind them.

5) Decrease sickness payment.

Eddie told us:

"The unions won't accept that. In the past the company has talked about 'Joint Plans' - what it's meant is that over the past four years there's been no reduction in management, while the workforce has been drastically cut and the wages of those left have fallen by between 20% and 30%."

The unions have already had talks with local Labour MP Gregor Mackenzie, who has pledged himself to give every assistance and support to the workers. For the first time, the unions have agreed to organise joint trade union activity to fight the proposals.

The Cambuslang workforce has been beaten down time and time again and were seriously weakened by 520 workers accepting voluntary redundancy only last April, but anger and determination to win this time has never been stronger.

Eddie says: "There will be a fightback. To start with we'll use all the usual means, make sure people don't get demoralised and make sure the correct information gets across to challenge the company's statement.

"If at the end of the day that fails, the workforce will have no alternative but to take the lesson from the workers at Lee Jeans. They gave great inspiration to other workers and we've got to make sure that that great historic victory is not lost to the working class.

They will be getting together next. week to work out their plans. One of the most important things they have already agreed to is organising the fightback jointly with the Perivale workers.

Eddie: 'We've arranged a meeting with the Perivale workers to prevent the company playing one workforce against the other. In the past we've always kept one another informed of events and have had close co-operation on all wage negotiations.

"We'll be arguing that both factories are viable and that the blame for the company's demise lies with management - there's been no expansion in the UK while £10 million has been spent expanding their factory in France. The company wants to concentrate expansion in Europe and that means redundancies in the UK workforce."

IAN McLEISH 28 Middle Lane, London N8