Howe backs up Cowley bosses
Socialist Organiser1980sTranscribed by hand from the printed page.
THE political back-up for management, who have been fighting strikes over the past few weeks, was reemphasised yesterday by Tory Chancellor Geoffrey Howe, when he said that despite the advances which have been made in productivity, there is still a lot of "inefficiency" to be "rooted-out".
The message is very clear. The offensive against the working class on the shop floor and against the shop stewards' movement is to be pressed forward, despite the current fightback by thousands of workers.
Despite this determination by both government and employers it appears that the AUEW EC at its meeting on Tuesday made no moves to make the strike at the Cowley assembly plant official — a situation which could influence the TGWU which meets on Thursday to consider official backing.
This creates a dangerous situation. Although official sanction is not the most important factor in the strike, decisions for official support would demonstrate that the TGWU and AUEW are serious in their support for the strikers and would give them confidence to continue.
Like other strikes at the present time, the main danger is isolation in front of determined employers. The Joint Shop Stewards Committee at the Cowley Assembly Plant will be meeting at 11 am on Thursday, two hours before the next mass meeting, to consider the outcome of negotiations held last Monday.
The stewards are certain to recommend rejection of the latest "offer" by BL which is merely to postpone the introduction of bell-to-bell running for an extra week. At the moment it appears that the full time officials, who for the first time ever at the Cowley assembly plant are claiming to be leading the strike, will support such a recommendation.
The officials, particularly David Buckle of the TGWU, are using conditions created by management under which convenors who speak publicly in support of the strike face disciplinary action, to become the public spokesmen for the strike.
The shop stewards meeting on Monday took the important decision to elect a strike committee, and charged it to administer the strike between shop stewards meetings and to take part in negotiations if necessary with BL management.
There is little doubt that short of a complete reversal by the officials before Thursday's mass meeting, that the vote will be to continue the strike, which is seen by the workers not just as opposition to bell-to-bell working, but as a fightback against hardline management.
Initiatives
BL, however, are unlikely to sit back and see the strike continue without taking initiatives to try to smash it. Up to now they have held back from their usual tactics of sacking threats because of the sheer strength of the strike. But they are now in a very difficult position. Four important models have been paralysed for three weeks, including the new Maestro, the most important new model since BL was formed in 1968.
They will therefore be forced to make some move to try to break the strike. Workers and shop stewards must be ready for that move when it comes.