workers under attack
with the deal'
Despite Murphy's attitude, the workforce has responded with a serins of striker since last February: In the Cowley body plant, foi example, an overtune ban spread throughour the plant after a fall in the producture bonus. d look the local and national Jeaderships three munths, a series of mass meetings and a promise of a ballot on the Issue to get it called off. A mass meeting voted in favour of a call for stronger action which was then disallowed by the plattorn -causing the meeting to break up an confusion.
ARC's decision to suspend their employer's contributions to the pension fund for three vears (which is the same as reducing the wage bill by seven per cent or plundering C80m but of the pension fund) was kept secret frum most workers until after the company had stupped paying in September The ollicial union respunse was slow
Last October the national joint negotating committee (INC) eventually balloted thie workforce for a one day strike. on the issue. A majority DE800 came out in favour of a strike. although the ABU and the EETPU did nor have individual majurites of their own. I was then said that those unions who did not have their own majoritics could not be Involved in the strike, thux. spatting the unity of the workforce.
TOWL delegates then met 1o discuss the TOWE result which was a 1300 majority in favour of a strike. They voted by a seven to six majority against implementing their own members' decision, with the Longbridge delegation agamst unplementing the decision and the Cowley deleganion in favour:
In Cowlry, the hody nlant leadership decided to abide by the vote and take no furder action on the issue. A mass mecting of the asscably plant. however, overwhelmingly demander strike action on the issue. An a rostle Cowley was closed down for a day, bur workers have not been given the opportunty for further action:
The willingness of Hie workforee to fieht back is also: shown in the recent ballor for convenom and branch officers in the Cowley body plant. Despice the fact that the right wing controlled the balloting procedures and many dubious things rook place (which now seem to be the subject of complaints within the union) the left-wing candirate Tony Richardson received 936 votes against due existing right-wing cancidate with 1171.
All this shows that car workers are likely to be a growing force in the class: struggle in the coming period MATT BAKER