Bike Strike Jv Mijn Ojuwi Faces New Acas Threat
Socialist Press1977 1977-12-21Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 10 →
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the giant Raleigh bicycle factory in Nottingham.
The strike, involving 4,000 workers in the plant, has been made official by all eight unions involved.
Management assess the claim as 39%-which is of course in conflict with the 10% pay limits.
They • have offered 10% plus another 4% in exchange lor a seli-financing produclivity deal, while threatening that they may be forced out bf business if the strike goes pn, or if the claim is met.
Union leaders have responded by calling not for nationalisation of Raleigh, but for the National Enterprise Board to take the firm under its wing.
The alternative, according to Jack Hallam, Metal Mechanics Union Divisional Secretary, is that the market be opened up for importers.
If T.H. Raleigh can't afford to stay in business, and we can't afford to work there, there is an obvious chance for overseas manufacturers to come in'.
While Hallam is right to reject the company's arguments on 'viability' , the fight must be directed towards a clear alternațive.
This means struggling to open the books of the bike monopoly to prove the case for its nationalisation.
The intervention of the NEB-which has masterminded the attacks on the British Leyland work forcewill do nothing to assist Raleigh workers in their legitimate pay demands.
Instead of such diversions Raleigh workers must organise alongside local firemen to spread andstrengthen their attack on the 10% pay limit.