track in the south works of the Cowley assembly plant without workers touching it. The car was the Austin Maestro, miracle'.
The real miracle is that such protests against speed ups didn't happen sooner.
The Maestro has already involved £210 million investment. seen as the car to make or break BL and management have imposed tough regime. Many peoStave been sacked of lateness A three month probation makes SuIC people keep their heads down and their mouths shut. want a aoche workforce for high and secure productivity.
Cowley workers have been on the defensive with the sacking of Alan Thornett and the introduction for the first time of a LWO year pay agreement. But BL haven't been able destroy their plans. This was shown with the victory of LIC SEEKE ot 4.000 at the Pressed Steel body. plant against the demanning of 14 jobs.
Green BL decided to recruit a completely workforce of 1,100 21CCI young people in their first job or recruits the dole queue. ON MONDAY 14 March a car body travelled the nicknamed ' the 'Oxford The stewards' movement has been dismantled in Cowley over the years.
Whole SCCLIONS on the Maestro don't have stewards to cal on when problems arise.
Management want to take away the three minute washing up time before dinner and at the end of day, gaining minutes week extra WOrK. This was to be posed on 28 February but ucy reucalce due de lak ing this through 'the proDC accaule This is different from the media image of 'the BL' back from the ork will be brainenew car to take over the world car markcl The real face of BL was revealed the launch week, when industrial tribunals found management guilty of wrongful dismissal of Cowley worker for giving out leaflets of racial discrimination wner chief security officer workers to be stopped and Compensanion was paid to the workers Thatcher's backing BL moves for a docile workforce. involved.
It is fitting that Thatcher was at the centre of the The Edwardes plan is a test case for Thatcher's union profitablity. Recent events DASHES restore show Lilal allo Tories won't have it all their own way.
The miracle car may be full of new gimmicks but the same old managemen techniques remain. There are rumours of guaranteed jobs, a new LMIl model in meeting would be called to discuss resuming the strike. This shop stewards' proposal gave neither management nor national union officials an opportunity to sow divisions ir our ranks.
At the national ference the disciplinary action was unconditionally withdrawn by management. Although a ioint statement of intent was made in which the unions agreed Won established practices and this restated the existing position The workforce could see that the company had backed down and were try. ing to cover this un. was a victory against the lessons can be drawn from Even against the ag gressive onslaught of Thatcher and Edwardes a 00VE 12 months and the 'XX' project with Honda.
Management intends to introduce its new work practises for production of firm basis for a fight back can be built.
this is necessary to win the confidence and súpport of the members. Our success an endorsement of the new approach and hard work ot the stewards' committer La testimony to the Cavalily ship to stand up to the The WallaccEl. wards' committee must show the members what is happening We have the advantage MEOW as management see our support on the shop floor. But further attacks on our union organisation inevitable especially occaust the strong possibility of privatisation of the Land Rover divi sion.
This shows the need for radical political alternthese models. The of the past week nave shown late worl force will be anything bu passive in the face of these attacks.
vatives. We must win the LICHUCIS confidence. for this the need for Labour government which acts in our interests on the basis of socialist policies not the kind of Labour government we've experienced in the past But just as we've built firm foundations the worklorce. so too musEme It's not good enough just to adopt polices without real for among the grass roots of the working class We've shown that with hard steady work you can establish firm foundations which easily shaken. The highest tower will come crashing down without a solid base.
With our strong relationship with the members further advances can be
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