BL attacks disabled workers
Socialist Organiser1982 1982-08-26Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 13 →
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meetings; insist on a full democratic procedure in each union, mandate the delegates to the delegate conferences. THE THIRST for surplus value is ruthless, and the management team of South African trained Michael Edwardes in BL are now pursuing it in the most brutal way.
In the Cowley Assembly plant, the 'Edwardes Mafia' as they are know to local managers, have now reached a new level of dehumanisation by attacking the invalids in the plant - the disabled and the blind.
These work in what is known as the 'panel room' where they do light subassemblies.
Management have gone into the panel room and pressurised them, particularly those who can walk or see, to go onto production jobs.
Already, under the 'plant audit clause negoțiated by the national officials and the TUC when they sold out the wage claim last • year, hundres of non-production jobs are being absolished:
Workers over 60 years of many of whom have never worked on a production line, are being forced onto jobs which young, fit workers struggle to hold. Sometimes they are switched for day shift to night shift at the same time.
They are told. That is the job. If you can't hold it, leave.
Although strikes take place, and some workers are protected, it doesn't halt the relentless management drive.
This is the outcome also of sell-outs by the trade union leaders. The mobility terms of the 'blue paper' forced in by Edwardes in 1980 are fully supported by the likes of Terry Duffy.
It is the ugly face of Thatcherite Britain in the 1980s: the reflection on the shop floor of the policies of government which has been allowed to wage war against the working class for 3½ years, and protected by the trade union leaders' sabotage of every threat to their rule. in had insisted that it was no witch-hunt, but the second amendment seemed to belie this. It was to prevent members meeting to discuss union business without the authority of the EC.
As one delegate put it, Moses Tuffin has now handed down two more commandments to us. Thou shalt not take the name of the
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Socialist Organiser no: 97 Auzust 261982 Page-14? CORB TON