Socialist Organiser

The weekly of the fused Workers Socialist League, July 1981 to April 1984

Trade TEBBIT. THREAT Reg sho aster MP, Alan Victory at

Socialist Organiser no. 81, 22 April 1982 · scan p. 15 · about 595 words

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(president NUJ), Rachel Lever (secreunion tary, Women's Fightback), Steve Longshawe (Laurence Scotts strike commitTORY Harry McShane, Fraser Neill Apri 29 ceac ine TOIQUR Thornett (TGWU deputy senior stew Information from, and support and Peter Tatchell told Socialist Organiser We're offering bundles of five each week for f1 post free, and bundles of 10 for £1.75 post free.

That's £12 for three months for bundles of 5, • and £21 for bundles of ten. Call for lobour movement solidarityp.3 Regular subscription rates are £5 for three months, £8.75 for six months, and £16 for a year.

From: Socialist Organiser, 28 Middle Lane, London N8. Please make cheques payable to Socialist Organiser.

Please send me.... • issues of Socialist Organiser. I enchse Mass A mass meeting of workers at Massey Fergusons, Coventry, voted last Thursday to end their occupation of the plant.

They had heard from shop stewards, that following eight hours of talks with management the previous evening, the compulsory redundancies which had sparked the occupation, had now been withdrawn as had management proposals for drastic changes in working practices.

TGWU shop steward

FUND Terry Rollings, told Socialist Organiser, "They withdrew compulsory redundancies on the grounds that they now had enough volunteers, but I think that that was really a face-saving exercise on their part. Really the compulsory redundancies were not the main issue. If they had succeeded in forcing us to accept them, then they would have been able to impose a series of drastic changes in working practices throughout the plant.

"They wanted to , introduce a new skilled job -what they call a "plant fitter". . This job would involve work now being done by electricians, tinsmiths, machine tool fitters, welders and so on. They tried to introduce a plant fitter apprenticeship before but we stopped that.

"We've won a big victory because they've withdrawn these proposals altogether."

Undoubtedly the stand taken by the workers at Masseys has been an important one. As we reported last week, TGWU officials were arguing that they couldn't win and that they should not fight on the issue of compulsory redundancies.

Workers sacked a couple of weeks ago are now reemployed.

It was also not an accident that a large number of stewards were on the compulsory redundancy list. The company clearly hoped to damage shop floor organisation as a prelude to forcing through the new working practices. Commons on or before 2 April.

Since they have oni reached the very early stagr of the Bill in committee, th means the Bill could becom law in the next couple ( months without there havir been a proper debate an! where!

It's clear that this Bill so complicated and it's suc a legal minefield that needs debating line by line.

Also, since it restricts th most fundamental rights c the trade unions, I think it a constitutional matter an should in any case have bee debated on the floor of th House of Commons.

The Bill itself represen the most fundamental an far-reaching erosion of th rights of the trade unio movement since 1906 whe trade unions won the rigt to strike without threat c being sued for damages b the bosses.

Most importantly, th labour movement has : have a major campaign i make sure that we all unde stand just what the Bill about. Very few peop know what it means - Ju how far-reaching and vicio it is."

FUND

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UNIONS ard, BL Cowley) Geoff Williams a mation ront and got and

Massey workers in occupation Spread

mil FIGHTING FOR eys

← Contents of Socialist Organiser no. 81

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