workers.
be trusted?
The most famous coined by Henry Ford 1 SLOT Is Ounk. remaos unt founder of Ford Company said that because he didn't want workers to learn from their history and the past experience of their struggles.
Workers in Ford UK today have a lot to learn — especially about their union leadership -from the 1971 Ford strike.
MILITANT Then, as now, the strike was precipitated by a militant rank-and-file walk out in response to an insulting oller irom the bosses.
neTe was enthusiastic support for the strike right the way up to the end of the ninth week.
But then in stepped the union leadership, shape of Hugh Scanlon and Jack Jones Above the head of the National Joint Negotiating Committee they agreed to settle for an extra 9p an hour cement had offered 8p an hour. Nine weeks on strike for a The NJNC backed the deal after an initial wrangle. Part of this was an unprecedented use than set ballot in hich lese than CCHIL workforce voted.
The result was that the deal was accepted. Yet just one week before, workers at Basildon -one of the weakest plants had voted overwhelmingly to stay out. ontase The mass meeting had ended is Cher negotatol Evans being carried shoulder Motor high by the workers.
So why the apparent change of feeling within a week? There are explanations: involves the union leadership, the other the way the strike was organised.
role that leaderships set one of 'negotiation', whether in 1971, 1951, or 1978. Today the union leaderships at Ford have already won all they really ever negotiate freely.
For compromise and conces sion are the stock in trade of the union leadership. really challenge the status quo, because in a sense they are part of the status quo, capitalist order of things.
They see themselves as the 'honest brokers' workers on the shop floor and management, occasions uke today a unira interest is thrown in -ZOUVCELICHLS In 1971 the union leadership could, in their own terms, point to a victory". Even though that vory was no more man up, l was still a victory because it had been obtained, as they saw it, through 'negotiation'.
1971 the Ford workers were position to resist this deal. was the great strike.
Sane workers involved in the struggle. Only at Ine last minute cia tne best or rank-and-file Don't trust the MOSS union themselves the right to They never part of the and the realise the problem.
mass meetings was too late. The workers, sitting at home away from their brothers and sisters, had already been 'got at' by the rank-and-file mass media.
in 'stay at home' BALLOT -were The calling ballot by the union leadership sealed the fate of the struggle.
leadersnip The discussion on the merits discussed what to do. MOSS EVANS—snatched defeat from jaws of victory in 1971 But by then the calling of strike was never held.
A repeat of the rank-and-file should have been.
THE received Ital ITE John workers. of the offer which would have been possible had there been mass meetings throughout the to halt this 1971 can be avoided today. It is true that so far in this strike there has not been the active involvement of that there For instance, Ford workers who are not part of the 'official picket are turned away at the Dagenham picket line. There have been no mass meetings FUKU workers have magnificent support from the trade union out the country are refusing to handle Ford cars, and many workplaces are already taking collections for the strikers.
Millions of workers know that victory in the Ford strike would be a victory for the entire workers movement. It would bury the 5 per cent law.
But apparently one leading Ford striker does not see things Davis convenor at the Dagenham plant. He says he is solidly behind the claim for £20 now But Davis is also a Barking Councillor, and when he wears that hat he is not so fond of representing workers' interests.
He is currently opposing a bonus claim by council building The claim would amount to a maximum of £10 a week, but the figure would be lower for many workers and some woulan t benent al all.
The building workers are now on strike in support of their since the strike began.
But it is bv no means too late process. Whatever Evans and Duffy 'negotiate' rank-and-file workers at Ford need to insist that it is they who will decide, and it is they who will direct the struggle.
CONFERENCE After all, whatever Evans and Duffy agree to won't make one iota of difference to their demands, and John Davis, as vice-chairperson of the build WOrKS committee, has placed himself firmly on the wrong side of the picket line SCABS He has gone on record as opposing any concession to the strikers, and there is a suspicion that Barking council has even brought scab labour to undertake repairs.
The only defence Davis has offered is that 'you can't compare a giant multi-national company with Barking Coun "True -or you compare building workers with both have suffered a decline in real wages in the last couple of years, and both are right to struggle to reverse that.
John Davis should do the building workers and the Ford workers a favour - and decide which side of the class divide he wants to stand.
pay!
Specifically, as far as the present dispute is concerned the Coventry stewards conference should be recalled The conference in June • wich ormulated Ine claim provided for its recall to discuss PrOTO make. The stewards would then be in a plant by plant mass meetings.
This time the union bosses must not be allowed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
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THE DECISION of the Ford bosses to negotiate without specific reference to the 5 per cent limit gives the victory in the first battle of the Ford war to the But the eventual outcome of the war is still undecided. The spotlight now falls on the union leaderships. The million dollar question is — can they