Socialist Organiser

The weekly of the fused Workers Socialist League, July 1981 to April 1984

Car Workers at Head F Winter Pay Queue Winte

Socialist Organiser no. 54, 24 September 1981 · scan p. 16 · about 622 words

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FORDS DEMAND £20 - SEE PAGE 15 Orgamise for a genenai stake-see page 3 de Socialisa Orzaniser Altisace, 28 Middle Lene, 1 condon N8. Printed by East End Offset Ltd., London E2. Registered as a de Post Ottice. Socoed antictes do not necessarity represent the views of the Socialist Organiser Alliance M. S.M.W.S. IS BRITISH UNITY STRENGTH LEYLAND Jim Denham The BL unions have presented their claim for the 1981-2 annual review.

It is £20 across the board, a 35 hour week, and a pro rata increase in premium payments.

The company have not yet given their official replv, but BL industrial relations boss Geoffrey Armstrong has already described the claim as 'unrealistic' . Their repiv will almost certainly be four per cent on the basic, and an offer to re-negotiate the bonus scheme.

Fourth

It the company nas 1TS way, this will be the fourth year running that BL workers have been held down to single-figure increases. Militaney in the plants is high, but once again BL workers look like being hindered in the ficht by an unrepresentative and bureaucratic negotiating.committee (LCINC).

T&G automotive officer Grenville Hawley ignored the official T&C official policy (for a democraticallv elected W1IIN1GE negotiating committee, based on proportional representation of unions) and persuaded I&l convenors to vote for reconstituting the I NINE cranture that came Longbridge, Cowlev, and several other plants voted no confidence' in after last year's sell-out.

The company then graciously agreed to negotiate with the old LCJNC as long negotiate on BL's proposed as the unions wuu agice tu new procedure agreement! -a document that would give the company sweeping new powers, including the right of summary dismissal for strikes a sackable offence, and plans for a new LCJNC next year totally controlled by officials.

If yet another sell-out, not only on wages but also on the procedure document, is to be avoided, BL workers immadintelu. demand Conn snu * All negotiations to take nlace at BL plants (not at the plush Haseley Manor MIUTT Hotel where the first meeting took place, comfortably distant from the membership):

* Every stage of the negotiations to be reported back to the niante:

All maor decisions to De pur lo mass merubo n=t a30uI meptinos before the LCJNC proceeds;

* No retreat on the £20 and 35 hour week. Vauxhalls Vauxhall Ellesmere Port)

IT IS now clear, following mass meetings at Ellesmere Port, Luton, and Dunstable, that the four per cent pay offer by Vauxhali Motors (GM) has been totally rejected, and the rejection backed with a threat of strike action if there is no improvement.

The decision, by an overwhelming majority of the 16,000 workers, to reject the four per cent and fight the cuts in their living standards, is a big step forward for the unions in the crisis-hit motor industry.

The recession in the motor industrv. redundancies, short-time working, and TOTAITT the Tory attack on trade workers to suffer a ruthless management dictatorship over the past few years. Now we have the opportunity to fight back and win our full claim with no strings.

Luton and Dunstable workers did not set a date for strike action, but Ellesmere Port said that if the Joint Negotiating Committee does not receive an improved offer from GM at their meeting on the 25th, then an all-out strike should start on Monday 28th.

The Vauxhall workers' claim is for a substantial pay rise, work or full lay off pay for 20 days instead of five days per quarter, a guarantee of full-time work in future, longer holidays, shorter working week (39 hours this year, 35 by 1984), better pensions, and stati status for sickness benefits.

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'gross industrial misconduct a clause making unofficial

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