re-ballot the media is throwing its weight into the scales in order to secure a victory for George Wright. loaa sullivan wno polled 72,000 votes between them dant one-third of the workforce.
Successive mass meetings had voted tha compulsory redundancies or victimisations would be met with immediate strike But the company persisted without regard to the 'consultation' procedures drew up plans to axe 51 jobs. This included the entire negotiating committee and the bulk of union activists.
estimated comics that the workers would be reluctant to take allius again, so soon arter ine last strike, and attempted break organisation in the plant their redundancy moves.
It is only 21 months since the was established at Colmans after a strike in June 1983. Since then workers have made a number of gains in Not pas other conditions. But the workers nave a way to go even to achieve the average wages and conditions for the area. They recognise that this won't happen without a strong union.
So, when the latest attack came, it was met by an immediate factory ocManagement cuballul were locked put and Colman's workers sought the backing of local union officials as well as sending a delegation to the AUEW national committee.
The management responded by gong to the A WEEK LONG sit-in at the Manchester firm of Colman Fasteners has beaten back the company's job-cutting plans. The 150 engineers who work there had just concluded a three-week wages strike when Colman's announced its intention to declare reduncourts in search of an in junction against the strike leaders, preventing them from picketing and make them financially hable for any losses resluting the occupation strike.
addition Colman's sent letters to the homes of every worker saying that the strike had broken their contracts terminaThe strikers weren't intimidated. Their determined stand and the support their action from the AUw nanonal commi forced a retreat by management.
The compulsory redundancies WElC withdrawn Instead the factory has been placed on Pa four-day week and there is agreement to tina alter natives to compulsory AUEW Colman's con venor Jon Silberman told Socialist Action: "The company has reserved its "right"
compulsories weeks' time if they think it necessary but they would be unwise to do so.
We voted unanimously to our action immediately if they try it on.
"They underestimated us last time. They have had a clear lesson on how we feel. We've had three ma.
jor strikes in less than two years. shy away from a fourth if the need arises.
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in four