Vauxhall workers in sympathy strike
Socialist Press1978 1978-07-19Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 10 →
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100 drivers who drive the Vauxhall's Ellesmere Port inter-plant fleet trucks are on strike for a tohnage allowance.
They have been negotiating with the company for several years since the company introduced new 32 ton trucks which were 10 tons heavier than previous ones.
All the way through these negotiations-which have gone right up to national level-the company has claimed that the government pay codes have prevented them from paying the men any money.
Vauxhalls declared that they would introduce an allowance as soon as the pay code expired if the men would drive the 32 tonners in the meantime.
This the drivers have done all along and the company is stalling.
No exact figure has been claimed by the drivers who say they will consider any company offer.
The crunch came after the end of the negotiations last week when the company still had not come forward with an offer and the men refused to drive the 32 tonners: The company disciplinary action and the drivers came out on strike.
The rest of the 3,000 TGWU members at the plant voted to go out in sympathy shortly afterwards.
This is a magnificent gesture of solidarity since it is almost holiday time and no one wants a strike at this time of the year.
The remaining 7000 AUEW members are likely to be laid off as a result of this strike.
So far the strike been made official.