Bl Workers Declare War on 4% (continued)
Socialist Organiser1981 1981-10-08Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 1 →
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THE DECISION of BL Cars Joint Negotiating Committee to recommend an all-out strike from November 1 puts BE workers on a collision course with Thatcher's 4% public workers even more.
BL unions have claimed a £20 increase across the board, improvements in sick pay and lay-off entitlements, a shorter working week, and additional holidays.
Edwardes has dismissed the claim out of hand. Despite his own recent 38% increase, he has offered 3.8% on the five grades, making the new rates £ 108.60 for Grade 1 £99.55 for Grade 2, £97.60 for Grade They know there will be threats from Edwardes to close down the corporation if there's a strike. This time they are at the end of the road. They are prepared to strike and to organise and to meet the threats as they come with militant action.
They know the strike will not be primarily against Edwardes but against Thatcher.
Once it starts it must not remain isolated. BL workers must fight alongside other workers fighting for wage increases in both the public and private sectors.
Other public sector workers affected by the 4% limit must not sit back and see BL workers fight alone simply because they have a later review date.
The lesson of the steelworkers was that they were left to fight alone.
The engineering pay claim has been rejected and the engineers have been offered 3.1% Their review date is the same as BL - November 1.
Vauxhalls - whose review date is now past - should declare that they will come out with BL. Ford unions should coordinate their action with BL workers and not wait for their review date on 23 November.
If such a fighting unity can be built around a BL strike, it will be very difficult for the Tory government to survive.
More on BL struggle - p.14