UNION leaders at Rover, from the right-wing of the EETPU to the TGWU 'Broad Left. were determined to get workers to accept the management proposals in the document Rover Tomorrow.
The document introduces New Management Techniques' in one fell It proposes, for example, complate flexibility, team working and 'continuous improvement, setting a proce dent for the whole motor industry. Its was a travesty of acceptance democracy.
Only one or two changes were made at a national level - there will be no short-term contract workers and unions will prodominate in nogotiation structures.
All the rest was left to plant-lovel negotiation. After six months, with no invotvement of ordinary workers, a few more concessions were made, largely around the question of seniority in cer. tain, very particular situations.
Union leaders then argued for acceptance. To persuade union structures within Rover to accept the deal they argued 'if you don't accept this the company will just implement the original document So the National Joint Negotiating Commitae (NJNC) unanimously recommended the deal, and then a 150-strong delegate conference confirmed this with only around four votes against, folowed by a plant-lovel committee.
In Cowley, the Joint Shop stewards Committoo (JSSC) wasn't allowed a volo. In Longbridge, the J5SC first but after r a visit from TGWU official Tony Woodlay, they agrood to accept.
Shop floor meetings were hostle, particularly those heldby management n Cowly and Solihull. The impression was given that workers had no real choice. But this was hardly challenged by the unions-the NUNC never issued But shopfloor hostility was so strong that they broke down this barrier and, at Cowley and Solihull, voted heavly against the deal. Then came the 'counting' of the voles.
Manual votes from each plant were added together, and then ackled to the staff vote. way of knowing how each plant had voted -and no way of challenging the result.
At the count itself, the manual workers' vote was first announced as boing against, with a majority of 240. After a recount, this changed to a vote in favour, with a majorty of 16.
All those at the count favoured a yes' vote - so no further recounts were ek!. Added to the staff vote in favour. there was a majority in favour of 169, out of a total of 24,000 votes.
So on April 16, the unions happily signed the agreement. Not so happy are the workers, who have to lve with it and can'tunderstand where this yes' volo came from.
NUT leader McAvoy