Birds Eye face closure threat
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The pay strike by 110 engineers at the Birds Eye plant in Kirkby which has halted production for the last 11 weeks faces a key test.
The engineers are demanding a pay settlement in excess of the 10% limit. Management have now threatened to close the plant, sacking all 1,200 workers, if there is no return to work.
Contingency plans
With cool cynicism, company chairman Kenneth Webb revealed last week that the firm had drawn up two contingency plans-one for a six-week stoppage and one for a twelve week one.
"We have not put in a third contingency plan" he announced.
450 workers have already been declared "redundant"
sackings blamed on the strike.
issues issues issues issues (Over would like Name...
Address PRESS alist Press, 31, Dartmoi London NW5 1HR But shop stewards pointed out that these sackings brought the total workforce at Kirkby to just about 1,000-the target figure announced by Birds Eye three years ago.
Occupation
Clearly any attempt to close the factory must be fought through immediate occupation and steps by a trade union committee to open the books of Birds Eye management to expose their long term plans.
Workers in other Birds Eye factories must be called on to support the struggle to defend all jobs in the Kirkby plant, and a campaign launched for the nationalisation of this highly profitable viciously anti-working class food monopoly £1.10 £2.20 £5.50 10.00 rates: write for detail issues. I enclose £.