Ford management has laid down the gauntlet to our members - almost 1,000 redundancies, closure of half the Southampton plant and reneging on the pay claim! Head of Ford Europe, John Fleming says that he wants to "reflect" on the pay claim but we can't afford to let him string us along any further.
There
was always the danger that although for the best of reasons, the pay claim
was delayed to try and get a sourcing agreement for Southampton, it could
play into the Company's hands as the recession deepened. In October last year
we warned -
"The
strategy of the union officers was to tie the sourcing issue with the impending
pay claim. Consequently, despite 5.25% being offered in the first year and
RPI plus 0.25% in the second and third years, it was rejected by the union
side. They are now waiting for a meeting with head of Ford Europe John Fleming
to discuss Southampton. Ford workers will be concerned that a well meaning
strategy of putting Southampton at the centre of the pay talks could have
given the initiative to Ford.
This
meeting could be taking place at a time of lay-offs and Fleming will be keen
to remind the national union officers and the convenors that the unions in
Germany and Spain have given concessions. However,
the action of Southampton workers last week in two walk-outs showed that this
can be turned on its head. Rather than go the way of Spain and Germany, which
could confuse and split the UK workforce when the 5.25% is on the table, last
week’s action shows that the unions should have confidence in their
members. Ford should be made aware that the Transit must stay in Southampton,
the future of other UK plants must be secured and a pay award - nothing short
of what is on the table now - will be acceptable. But time is running out....."
We stand by these words now. This doesn't have to be
the end of this struggle but the beginning. In some respects, considering
the position of the economy and the losses of Ford in the US, it was inevitable
that at some stage Ford bosses would try and go on the offensive. But Ford
in Europe is profitable and the UK is still its biggest market. Any sign of
weakness could encourage Ford bosses to go for the jugular.
Further discussions? What for?
Fleming says that "further discussions" are
required on the pay claim. If he is allowed to get too confident, this could
mean pay freezes or much worse. 'Temporary' concession packages are being
negotiated by our union in Vauxhall and Jaguar/Land Rover in a bid to avoid
redundancies. But how temporary will this recession be? The danger is that
if we concede without a fight, our confidence will suffer and management
will get bolder. Rather than conceding our hard won terms & conditions
and pensions, we need to have a strategy of industrial action that can
put Brown under pressure to intervene. This is an emergency situation - we
need emergency measures to save these vital parts of manufacturing industry
and our skills. If Ford won't invest, these plants should be nationalised
under workers' control and management.
Despite the dangers of their struggle being wrongly perceived as nationalist,
the refinery construction workers have shown that it is possible to win victories
through industrial action. Their unofficial strike sent an immediate signal
to the government, Total and also the Union that this was a fight to the finish.
Similarly, the Waterford Crystal occupation in Ireland at the moment shows
that it is possible and necessary to resist the effects of this recession.
Similar action by the shopfloor in Fords now can put Fleming and Fords on
the backfoot. The union leaders and officers should challenge Brown's anti-trade
union laws by supporting any such action. If the union is threatened
with fines, we should take the money out of the £millions we give New
Labour every year.
National meetings
A national meeting of all Ford stewards should be convened immediately to discuss the next steps. This should recommend a motion to organise a strike ballot which could be moved at mass meetings in every plant. This can set the scene of a campaign to save jobs and terms & conditions. Yes this is not the easiest period to fight with workers laid off but unfortunately there is no choice. There are no guarantees of victories but there is one guarantee if we don't fight - we will lose. Ford's plans can be defeated if we mobilise our members now!