Bl: Open the Books

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BL is depicted in the Tory press as if were some gigantic benevolent institute caring for an all-but-idle workforce of 58,000 shop floor workers.

But the fact is that it remains Britain's largest manufacturing exporter. In that capacity BL is literally the vehicle by which thousands of small engineering firms reach markets in Britain and abroad. Its finished cars are a composite of materials and components from a huge range of sources.

BL spends £2,000 million every year on goods and services in Britain from no less than 7,000 small firms.

The company itself directly employs a total of some 120,000 workers while component suppliers, contractors, hauliers and distributors employ at least a further 300,000.

This much is admitted in the press But there is no analysis offered of the other side to these figures. For if 7,000 privately-owned firms have ment of this plot we call in Bernard Knife, industrial correspondent of the Daily Mail.

'Bernard, are you really saying all the people at the mass meetings will be Russians?

Knife: 'Yes, indeed. It is well known for example that the Upper Clyde shipyard work-in was entirely Russian staffed. Only yesterday thousands of KGB car workers were being landed at Heathrow Sarcastic: 'Sorry to interrupt you Bernard but we just have the first results in - workers at the nipple bleeder plant in Surrey have voted three to one to reject the strike call and save their jobs. We call in Angus McGhee, industrial relations consultant to BL reaction to this resulta, your McGhee:* ' This is what we expected Bill: The BL workforce have shown their responsibility in choosing contracts with BL, then 7,000 firms are plainly drawing profits from the supposedly 'loss-making' car giant.

In other words one state-run loss-maker is a source of wealth to large numbers of businessmen in enterprises ranging from a couple of dozen employees to the giant Joseph Lucas combine.

But it is not only in car components that money is being made out of BL. Since 1978 the firm has spent £800 million on new plant and equipment - in a desperate attempt to catch up on years of profit-taking in which no effort had been made to modernise the firm.

The contracts for such plant have gone to private firms in the engineering and construction industries - all of whom have profited from BL's 'losses' Nor have the profits been confined to the engineering industry. Bankers and speculators too have made their pile out of the growing investment programme in BL. Every pound of 'taxpayers' money' invested has been subject to hefty interest payments - now totallAlec in favour of the offer and Spike against. But it's the proportion that counts.

The hub cap assembly plant in the Falkland Islands has voted to accept by 1v to one. Even it Cowley and Longbridge vote against, that is two plants each.' Sarcastic: 'Well, first blood to Sir Michael. It looks as if BL workers recognise that he is not blogo slimey in the radio car at Cowley. How are things looking, O'Slimey?

O'Slimey: 'Well, the workers are arriving at the factory, Bill. They are going round the roundabout in their cars. They look grim but determined. Some are on bicycles. ing well over £70 million every year which go straight into the coffets of the banks.

Far from simply being a liability around the necks of British capitalists, therefore, BL has proved a capable provider of rich pickings for whole sections of the ruling class.

Not so of course for BL workers themselves, who have faced annual cutbacks in their living standards -with derisory pay increases won working conditions and trade union rights.

The Tories talk about cutting public spending: yet they know that to close BL would place anything up to one million additional workers on the dole, and wipe out further whole areas of British industry. The estimated cost of such measures must be calculated at £340 million for every 100,000 added to the dole queues - a possible £3,400 million per annum!

It is not for us to calculate the Tories' sums for Things could be close here Bill. The workforce understands, I think, that a vote for a strike is a vote for suicide.

Some are turning to the left and some to the right.

man clearly has some support.' Cutlass: Well, we now have Sir Michael on the phone. Good morning, Sir Michael. Can I ask first of all. You do really mean you will sack all the workers and close the company, don't you?' Edwardes: 'Yes'.

Cutlass: 'And anyone THE them: it is conceivable that the desperate Thatcher gang would reckon the political benefits of possibly crushing a major section of workers as preferable to the continued existence of BL and its dependent firms.

Fraud

But to develop an awareness among BL workers themselves and the remainder of the labour movement of the centrality of BL to British capitalism, and expose the fraud of the losses recorded for BL, elected 1979 Patrick Spilling who votes for a strike is helping to put tens of thousands on the dole?' Edwardes: 'Exactly'.

Cutlass: 'Some people say you have been a bit tough only offering 3.8%, Sir Michael. I suppose in reply you would point out that you could not afford to pay any more without the collapse of the British motor industry?' Edwardes: 'Precisely.' Cutlass: 'Well, there you have it. We have all heard Sir Michael say bluntly to BL workers that they face ruining the lives of innocent wives and children, of thousands of families, if they vote for greed. Now back to Footslog O'Slimey committees should be establ ished to open the books of the firm, together with those of its bankers, suppliers, contractors and distributors. ..Let's dispel the fog of mystery that hangs over BL's finances: let's also prove to any that doubt it the necessity for an integrated motor industry as part of a planned socialist economy.

Let's prove to the workers in related firms and industries that the BL fight is also their fight for survival - and thạt the way to win is to combine forces in all-out action to defeat the Thatcher government 1980 you've done?' Voice off: 'We've fucked that slimy little South African bastard, that's what.

(Sound of cheering.)

Sarcastic: 'Well Mr.

MeGhee, what about that vote?

McGhee: 'Well of course this was quite predictable.

The BL workforce does not really represent the real feeling in the Company.

What matters is what happens on November 2nd, not some charade of a vote' Canary Sarcastic: 'I've just heard that the vote at Longbridge has gone the same way by an even bigger majority. Can we call in Sir Michael. Sir Michael?...

----- pull-quotes -----

- accompanied by an unend- ing war of attrition on hard-

One yelled 'Up Sir Michael' as he went by so the Chair-