Edwardes' Sac

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stion ernment is prepared to put press home repeated new ince, in to finance strikes as attacks. But management is to raise the document at last management move to being repeatedly pushed plant shop stewards' comfor- smash conditions and back by a militant response mittees and to call for an workers must wnite against Edwardes Tory attack behind this dispute.

Between 1978 and 1982 vy laul, num vu, vuv wu around 14,000. Management's objective is to turn Leyland Vehicles into an assembly operation that simply puts together components produced by smaller private companies.

The argument goes something like this: 'by outsourcing the production what American management consultants have said of BL's plans. The only explanation for this ritual is an ideological obsession with privatisation' and short-sighted incompetence.

It is not the job of socialists to make capitalism work more efficiently. But it is quite apparent that the UK motor industry is currently headed for exTHE LEYLAND Action Committee conference, held in Birmingham last Saiurday, was a step forward in the struggle for principled leadership in BL. It attracted delegations, individual trade unionists, or stewards from Longbridge, Cowley Assembly Plant, Cowley Body Plant, Jaguar Browns Lane, and Rover 4x4 and SDI. A fraternal delegate was invited from the Ford Workers' Group.

The conference opened with a comprehensive report on BL management strategy since the formation of the corporation in 1968, with an assessment of the role of the trade union leaders in recent sell-outs and the effects this has had on the battle at shop floor level today. @BL Fighting back The report concluded that BL workers are far from beaten, despite the massive resources the govMass meeting of bus & truck workers in tinction..

On November 20 Edwardes informed all Leyland Vehicles workers that "The redundancy package for those affected will only be available subject to full cooperation with the rundown of the areas concerned and all that that entails' In short, resistance to redundancy will lead to you losing your redundancy pay. On January 14, Sir for organisation. Fighting back Reports from the individual plants showed a consistent management offensive. The report from Castle Bromwich highlighted the effects of the compromises made by sections of the stewards in collaborating with the plant management to keep a part of the plant open. From Jags moves were reported to bring in teams of super Industrial Engineers to restudy the plant for 'Audited Status' under the November sell-out terms.

The reports from Longbridge and Cowley showed how the sellouts of the Acclaim strike in October. followed by the two-day national strike and then the Longbridge Relaxation Allowance strike. have been used by managemen: * John Boyd, after meeting with Edwardes, stated, 'We all have to collaborate in supporting Sir Michael's attempts to make BL profitable' It is clear then that if the present strike is to be successful, then a two-front war will have to be waged against Edwardes and Boyd and Co. by the rank and file leadership in the factories.

In 1975 BL was bankpress home repeated new attacks. But management is being repeatedly pushed back by a militant response from the workforce. from the workforce.

The conference received a full report on the Joint Negotiating Committee meeting last week which began discussing the new procedure document which under the settlement terms of the wage review was to be negotiated by January 1, 1982.

BL Fighting back The conference decided to launch a campaign to warn the workforce against the document, which gives management the right of summary dismissal, creates a Joint Negotiating Committee almost entirely comprised of full-time officiais, abolishes all fuiltime facilities tor convenors and deputies. and makes 1hc grienct procedure pan of each individual #•kers contract of emple: meat. rupt and was bailed out by the NEB. The Ryder report was commissioned and stated that BL's only chance of survival was through a massive injection of funds and more 'workers' control'. This was later shelved.

By 1978, after an unprecedented media campaign in support of Edwardes' plan, a referendum of the workforce The conference resolved The conference resolved. to raise the document at plant shop stewards' committees and to call for an emergency meeting of the emergency meeting of the combine committee. Though normally it meets every six weeks, the combine committee has not met since September 1981.

A very comprehensive report on the strikes and occupations in Leyland Vehicles was given by a LAC representative who had just returned from the picket line at Chorley. He stressed the importance of the action - one of the most significant fightbacks against redundancies since Thatcher came to power.

BL Fighting back It is important to spread knowledge of the strike into BL. Cars and develop solidarity. either through direct action or tinarcial support.

A LAC bulletin will be produced tor distribution to the strikers.

Thr delegate from the

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Harris PHOTO: JMB Harris