SEVENTEEN THOUSAND consequent loss of 2000 jobs.
on 22 withdrawn at those talks.
Chief union negotiator Ron Todd told the mass meeting, February meeting doesn't discuss the foundry as well as the future of the whole of Ford it will have been a failure 'We will be coming back to you, the members, to sav that now is the time to fight for your jobs'. Despite Todd's fine words, the decisions of the mass meeting are a step back from controllallull with Ford give the WHOO officials greater control over the course of evens.
In gaining this control, the officials have been able to utilise the hesitancy of sections of the Dagenham workforce about strike acDON. assembly particularly plant. These the workers have seen 8000 jobs disappear in the last four years with little or no union opposition.
They have also been transterred trom plant to plant as the foundry and plants have been rundown. Yet it wasn't un til ine morning of Sunday's mass meeting the majority of workers received a national Joint Ford Dagenham leaflet called The Need to Strike.
(Ford Dagenham)
This explains how the foundry closure fits into the general rundown Dagenham and Ford UK and threatens their OWnl jobs. Most immediately, nail the plant's 3500 workforce voy foe loss of threatened the OHC overhead camshaft replacement engine to Germany, the press shop could be reduced to three stamping lines compared with twelve at present the wheel plant and group tooling operations look destined to go abroad.
These developments would put the tuture of Ford plants in Croydon Langley, Leamington and Woolwich at risk.
convenors pushed union officials intoacalling national action against foundry closure a decision endorsed by dan colga to one majority of foundry workers themselves. Ron Todd coming three weeks these convenors, backed stewards committees, will their have to fight for control over the dispute by setting a nrm date or surike action if the February meeting proves futile.
In the plants we need shop stewards bulletins exshould WC backed up by shop meetings to everyone informed and win over the doubting Toms.
Ford workers have the power to stop the foundry closure and win job security for 17,000 at Dagenham workers nationally. Ford UK is the company's biggest source of profits.
It is the f960 million gold mine which has bailed out its bankrupt American parent in the past tew years. maker eden ship in Britain is the backhone of hord's wuropear operations. And workers here can stop the whole of Ford Europe stone-dead through strike action This is what we mus prepare for up 'ebruary while winning support other unions, workplaces and the Labour Party to ensure our success.
SOCiAList
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workers have voted to suspend their strike action against the closure of the Thames foundry and the
about 8000 workers on Sunday 29 January which mandated union officials to talk with the company
manufacturing activities. The meeting also agreed to re-impose strike action if the foundry closure is not
This decision was taken at a mass meeting of February about the future of Ford UK's