Moderates witch-hunt workers

Scan page 8

public support for the call for the witch hunting letter produced from Dagenham.

The letter, directed not at the union but sent direct to the Tory press, calls for an inquiry into so called "extremist activities" at the Dagenham Body Shop.

"INQUIRY"

The "inquiry" manoeuvre is aimed to witch hunt any Ford worker at Dagenham or elsewhere who fights to defend his job, his wages and his conditions. It is completely in the interests of Ford's management, and opposed to Ford workers.

The press has attached the label of "moderate" to the witch hunters. The use of this term is a furth attempt to mask the vicious attac on trade unionism now being carried out by the right wing. The letter seeking the inquiry alleges, for example, that the Dag enham body shop has only 8% of Ford workers but 54% of recent disputes. But only a management stooge would ignore the all-out company drive towards speed up and demanning which has been at the centre of confrontations at Dagenham. No principled trade unionist would advocate acceptance of such attacks.

The question should rather be -what is the management getting away with scot-free in factories under so-called "moderate" leade ship? This question goes much wider than just the Ford motor company.

In the BLMC Cowley Assembly Plant, for instance, after the coordinated effort of the management, the Tory press and TV and the T&GWU bureaucracy last May had removed Bob Fryer as Senior Steward and Alan Thornett from his position as deputy Senior Steward, witch-hunting him as an 'extremist', every plant agreement began to be broken by the company.

PREVENT The so-called "moderate", Reg Parsons, who was installed as convenor by the T&GWU bureaucracy with company support, has worked full time ever since attemp ing to prevent action against speed up, action to defend wages or action to preserve jobs.

The number employed at the plant has fallen dramatically. Wages have been held massively below the increased cost of living. Measured Day Work timings have been imposed and the Movement of Labour agreement breached, with the acquiesence of Parsons. Brought in as convenor on a ticket of "saving" jobs and "full pay packets". Parsons has ensured that less workers are being paid less seal money for doing more work in worse conditions. This is what "moderation" is all about.

These attacks on trade unionism of course are politically motivated The "moderates" all stand on the extreme right wing of the labour movement, many in complete agreement with the employers, acting for them in the unions.

Ford workers must reject any rigged "inquiry" into branches where jobs, wages and condition are defended. It was under the guise of a T&GWU "inquiry", starl ing with the same technique of a letter of complaint (sent from Parsons to Jack Jones), that the powerful 5/55 Cowley branch was split and the present right wing leadership installed.

LINKS But it is worthwhile beginning some inquiries into the links between "moderates" and their management, into their easy access to press publicity, into the policies they really advocate, and their links with extreme right wing org anisations like the Economic Leag and Aims of Industry.

Those who are "wrecking" the jobs, wages and conditions of workers are not the "extremists" but the right wing "moderates"!

Bailiffs will go into action in a week to seize property of the 11 Clay Cross former councillors, who have 7 days to pay £7,940 plus £500 costs.

Their "crime" was that they alone out of the hundreds of Labour coun cils, held a principled line and refused to implement the Tory "Fair Rents " Act. This was in line with Labour Party policy.

Trade unionists and Labour Party members must rally now to the defence of the 11, and hound out the right-wingers who support their victimisation through the Courts.

The good response we have received leach month to our £500 Monthly Development Fund has enabled us rapidly to expand the areas of work of the Workers Socialist League, and ›pens up possibilities of more on-tne pöt reporting as from the NUM and T&GWU Conferences.

There is still a need to develop the technical resources of our paper. We call for your support. Please post all donations to:

WSI, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR.