The sophisticated way in which large multinationals deal with "rationalisations' — a polite phrase for mass sackings — was illustrated last week at the Hayes meat processing factory of Walls, a subsidiary of Unilever.
Step one was to show the shop stewards carefully selected company records which were meant to prove the non-viability of the factory. According to the senior Transport and General Workers Union shop steward, Ted Harris, the documents on offer were only a small portion of what was need to assess the real state of affairs, but when a full disclosure was demanded the company said that everything else was 'confidential".
Step Two was to offer the workers higher redundancy payments than they had expected — in some cases as high as E1,500. By this the company gave the impression that it was being over-generous and that the workers were actually gaining mass meeting voted for the company's plans.
It may or may not be a coincidence that the company's offer Unilever combine had met to discuss forming a joint shop stewards committee to promote joint action against redundancies. Certainly the Hayes experience is something all Unilever workers can learn from.
in ruture any arempis to reca sciecave inrormanon to tne workers should be answered with demands for a full disclosure of all the relevant material. And, in place of superficially attractive redundancy pavments. Unilever workers can point to the fact that throughout the combine similar skills are needed and simiar macninery is usea.
There was no reason, apart from protecting the company's profits, why all the available work could not have been shared
RED WEEKLY 30 September 1976 3