Dundee: what really happened
Labour Briefing1980sTranscribed by hand from the printed page.
The policy of the TUC on single union deals has effectively been changed.
The change has been forced by Ford management's decision not to build a new components plant in Dundee — and blame their withdrawal on the opposition of the unions to the single union deal they had signed with the AEU last October.
However, it has to be said, the TUC were well on the way to a climbdown already.
In any case, it is far from clear that the real reason for Ford pulling out was opposition to the deal from the unions.
Although the other Ford unions like the TGWU had complained to the TUC about the AEU deal they had done absolutely nothing about enforcing it and had no intention of doing so. They have done nothing in other places where such deals have gone through.
It is therefore hard to see that Ford had a problem. They had a deal with the AEU which would have stuck, and they knew of the opposition of the other unions when they signed the deal.
Whatever the motivation of Ford management, the principle is a crucial one for the trade union movement. The main thing about these deals is not that they are single union, but that in return for giving a single union sole negotiating rights the employers demand a heavy price — usually in the form of no-strike clauses, compulsory arbitration and low wages.
In the case of Dundee Ford wanted the plant placed outside the Ford "Blue Book", lower wage rates and its own conditions of employment. Such a development would be a direct threat to wages and conditions throughout the Ford plants.
Deals of this type have become an increasing problem over recent years with few unions maintaining a principled opposition to them. The TGWU has quite rightly led the opposition to the deal in Dundee, but AEU leaders have been able to exploit the fact that they have been involved in similar deals elsewhere.
The same double talk exists over the defence of jobs. The same unions who talk, quite rightly, about defending these 450 jobs in Dundee at all costs sit back and see jobs go by the thousands, often by the tens of thousands, often without a word.
When was the last time the TUC made a fuss about the need to defend jobs? They are doing nothing to support the Dover Ferry crew who are fighting to defend more jobs than were promised for Dundee! Yet no sooner had Ford announced their decision, than Norman Willis had changed the policy of the TUC and flown to Detroit to tell Ford management that they would accept anything in terms of wages and conditions and agreements for the plant.
The way to defend jobs, it seems, is to let the employers do as they like — not defend agreements and the rights of the workers!
After grovelling to Ford, the TUC delegation got short shrift and came back empty handed. Single union, "sweetheart" deals are now the official policy of the TUC — a development which is extremely serious for those fighting to defend the trade union movement and to defend jobs on a principled basis.
Once again the "business unions" have determined the policy of the TUC.