Mass meetings end doubts
Socialist Press1978 1978-11-08Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 11 →
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Despite the concerted efforts of the capitalist press to portray confusion and division after the vote at Ford Dagenham the general mood of the workers was was the comment i DE IcEat the Paint, Trim and Asser>. Plant after the mass meeting.
Many pickets themselves admitted surprise at the overwhelming rejection of the company's offer by Ford workers all over the country.
It had been felt that the length of the strike, under conditions where strikers have been isolated in their homes short of-cash, would have led to a readiness to accept a deal and return to work.
The vote, however, showed the firm resolution of the Ford workforce to defend their living standards.
Before the mass meeting one worker from the Engine Plant summed up the mood of the majority when he said, "I want to get back to work, especially with Christmas coming on for the kids. But they'll have to make an offer worth talking about before I do"
Referring to the attendance #''omance penalty clause in the SaC Cas • 550 7 1123 lines many strikers are som scepticism in the past towards the policy advocated by the Workers Socialist League and Socialist Press, that regular mass meetings should be held throughout the course of the strike.
The results of the nationwide meetings prove, however, that the reason the trade union leaders have not done this is not fear of the strike being ended by swarms of angry 'moderates' but a desire not to unleash rank and file militancy and frustration by involving the whole membership in the running of the struggle.
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optimistic and determined. "Now the 5:37