Workers Socialist League

Socialist Press, Trotskyism Today and the Trotskyist International Liaison Committee, 1975–1984

[Workers Socialist League, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London…]

Socialist Press no. 86, 8 February 1978 · scan p. 12 · about 264 words

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Workers Socialist League, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR Printed by Prestagate of Reading (TU). Registered at the GPO as a newspaper. stewards movement in Leyland.

No wonder Edwardes has said that 'participation' will continue in operation!

The Kenilworth meeting summed up the essence of the class collaborationist strategy embodied in participation.

It consisted not of convenors alone, but of convenors and managers from each plant. Some estimates suggest that managers actually outnumbered convenors.

Sharp intervention

Edwardes' speech was followed by a motion of support-moved by Pat Lowry, the Leyland Corporation's Industrial Relations Manager!

This move provoked a sharp intervention from Bob Fryer-the newly elected TGWU convenor at the Cowley Assembly Plant Fryer challenged the validity of a motion moved by Lowry, and objected to any vote being taken in a joint meeting of managers and convenors.

This principled position was immediately attacked by Granville Hawley, national officer of the TGWU, and Terry Duffy, Midlands AUEW Executive Council member.

Full support

The attack was backed up by the Director of the Longbridge complex!

These speakers were matched by Derek Robinson, who, while a leading member of the Communist Party, is also senior 'participation' representative and convenor of the Longbridge plant.

Robinson declared his full support for the Edwardes plan. Eddie McGarry, right wing convenor at Canley, went even further, proclaiming that anyone who opposed Edwardes would have to be "off their head"

Reactionary These same reactionary convenors had only a few days before been touring plants persuading shop stewards to back their "alter-

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← Contents of Socialist Press no. 86, 8 February 1978