Stop the jobs massacre in south wales

[Udo Erasmus]

HOOVER FIGHTBACK!

Thousands of people face losing their jobs in South Wales, The Chartists have been pretty busy over the last fortnight attempting to build links with different campaigns against job cuts, we're in contact with people from Hoover, Bosch and some other places I think. There has been a lot of updates on the Facebook website that I reproduce below. I will give a more substantial report back when I get a mo. Two important meetings next week which have been organised with people working at these places are taking place, speakers will include shop stewards and union reps.

Wednesday 10th December at 7.30pm
Glebeland Club
Glebeland St
Merthyr

Thursday 11th December at 7.30pm
STAR Centre
Splott Road
Splott
Cardiff

04/12/08 Tony Benn Statement / Government rejects petition!

Hi everyone. Here is a statement from Tony Benn to all of us. Tony Benn is the best known figure on the Labour left who retired from Parliament to "spend more time involved in politics." Since then he has campaigned tirelessly against the war as President of the Stop the War Coalition and is a strong supporter of the People Before Profit Charter.

"The economic crisis is having a devastating effect on workers all across Britain. In South Wales, the impact is being felt particularly sharply. From Budelpack to Bosch, Maesteg to Merthyr, thousands of jobs are being wiped out by the recession. Unemployment in Wales is rising four times faster the national average.

The announcement of an end to manufacturing at the Hoover factory in Merthyr Tydfil is symbolic of how grave this crisis is. Hoover has been in Merthyr for 60 years, and, in that time, tens of thousands of workers and their families have relied on the factory for their livelihoods. To announce the job cuts just before Christmas is an appalling insult to the workers and people of Merthyr.

It has always been the case that, in times of crisis, big business seeks to safeguard its profits by making ordinary people pay the price. That is why it is so important for workers, trade unionists, socialists and activists to come together and fight to safeguard their common interests.

Democracy has always relied upon mass movements to win and defend our rights. The Chartists, who struggled to win the vote, faced down repression courageously in places like Newport in South Wales and inspired millions across the country. The mass anti-war movement was able to win the vast majority of the British people to opposing the immoral wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Meetings like those organised by the supporters of the People Before Profit Charter in Merthyr and Cardiff can be an important first step in building a new movement, one that seeks to unite all those who face unemployment and uncertainty in struggle for social justice and the right to work. I wish them and all who support them the very best in their campaign."


Also, Gordon Brown's 10 Downing Street Website has refused to host a petition under the title 'Stop the Jobs Massacre in South Wales' on the basis that it includes "Language which is offensive, intemperate, or provocative" ... what a cheek!

We've just had another 370 jobs cut in tax offices around Wales, 450 jobs at an aluminium factory outside Newport. Brown might prefer to dress these job cuts up as something other than a massacre but for the thousands who face redundancy, this ain't no Christmas Party!

It's clear that this is a problem that will run and run, please do your best to keep pushing for people to attend these important meetings next week.

02/12/08 - Meetings set-up for next week and Tony Benn wishes us success!

Big things happening over the next two weeks!

I spoke to Tony Benn last night about the campaign to stop the job cuts at Hoover. Tony has been a central figure in British politics for decades and has a record of standing up for working people. He said that I should communicate to everyone his best wishes for success in our campaign!

Two meetings have been organised to bring together all those who want to campaign against the closure of Hoover and all the other places being affected by mass redundancies.

In Merthyr, the meeting will be on Wednesday 10th December at 7.30pm in the Glebeland Club (upstairs from the Belle Vue Pub) on Glebeland Street in the town centre. We're currently working on getting guests arranged but have already heard from the convenor at Hoover that he and some of the shop stewards will be coming along!

There will be another meeting in Cardiff on Thursday 11th December at 7.30pm in the Royal Hotel, St Mary's Street in the city centre.

Any suggestions as to what we could be doing or offers of help to publicise the meeting would be greatly appreciated! Please do your best to get along and bring others.

We're trying to contact as many people who have lost their jobs or whose jobs are under threat as possible. If you know people who worked at Ferrari's Bakers before the closure last week, or who works / worked at Budelpack, Bosch, Serious Food Co. etc then please get in touch.

26/11/08 - 2000 members! But we need to keep building...

Brilliant to see we're now at over 2000 members in little over a week. It's great to see that people are still pushing the group and trying to get the campaign known.

If we needed any more evidence of how important it is to fight back against the cuts, it came today when both Woolworths and MFI went into administration threatening thousands of jobs. In Maesteg, the old Revlon factory has annouced it is closing with the loss of 400 jobs. In Llantrisant, another 200 jobs are going at the Serious Food Co, that's on top of the 250 cut from Bosch just last week.

This is just the beginning of recession and the onslaught on jobs we face in the coming years. That's why I've been contacting people to try to get a meeting on job cuts set-up in Merthyr as soon as possible. I've contacted Labour, Plaid and the Unite union as well as representatives from the PCS union.

Hopefully we'll be able to announce more details in the days to come but in the meanwhile keep letting people know about the campaign and stay in touch with your ideas about what we can be doing. Your response so far has been brilliant - even the Merthyr Tydfil FC Supporters Club are backing us and are taking a petition to the next match! If you're a member of an organisation or union that could back the campaign, get in touch.

25/11/08: Campaign Gets a Brilliant Response in Merthyr!

On Saturday a few of us set up a stall in the centre of Merthyr for a couple of hours doing a petition calling for intervention to save jobs at Hoover.

We couldn't believe the response. Hundreds of people signed, some people wanting to list their entire family! We met current workers from the factory who are incredibly angry. We met many workers who've been there over the years, including one who had worked there when it first opened.

It's blindingly obvious from that response and from the response to the facebook group that people in Merthyr want to resist these cuts and closures. It's not just Hoover either. Thirty jobs are to go at Sekisui and the tax office is going to be closed with the loss of around fifty jobs. If Hoover's workers go down without a fight it will be that much easier for the next company to lay people off.

That's why over the next few days we want to try to organise a public meeting in Merthyr to defend jobs. Please get in touch if you have contacts with people inside or outside the factory who would be able to advertise a meeting or if you have suggestions as to who might be able to speak. It's important to have representatives from the parties and the unions, but even more important is that local people and workers have a place where they can come together, discuss the situation and come up with a plan to fight back!

21/11/08: Over 1000 members in three days!

When I set this group up, I didn't imagine it's get so big so fast, and I certainly didn't expect so much international support from all around the world. Thanks to everyone who's joined and please carry on inviting more of your friends.

We're often told how much the people of Merthyr owe to Hoover for providing so many with a living. The truth is, Hoover owes Merthyr. Hoover has been happy to take advantage of low wages in the Valleys to make profits over the decades. Now it wants to shut up shop and exploit even lower wages overseas. With the recession growing, Hoover thinks it can get away with cutting and running without a fight back.

There's more to this than just Hoover, though. Gordon Brown has spent over £500 BILLION on loans and bailouts to the banks this year. He tells us this was essential to support the economy. It doesn't seem to be working. The last three month rise in unemployment figures was over 140,000 – almost 30,000 of these job cuts were in Wales!

At the same time, New Labour is attempting to push thousands of ill people and single parents back into work. In Merthyr, where one-in-five is on long term sickness, these changes coming on top of massive job cuts will be disastrous. With the number of people looking for jobs exploding just as jobs are disappearing it will mean misery for many people.

Welsh Assembly AM Huw Lewis has rightly called for a serious regeneration program to help those affected by the job cuts. Leanne Wood AM has called for a workers' bailout to go alongside the one the banks got.

None of these things will be handed over to us. A strong campaign, rooted in communities like Merthyr, will be essential to winning the change we need. Meetings, protests, marches, strikes, occupations – all can play a part in building confidence and winning support. Please get in touch if you want to get involved.

 

[derf]

Wow that's fantastic.
A good meeting and a march or two sorts out the finacial crisis, gets everyone buying the products again so no need for anyone laid off and even enough trade to get some more staff in to cope with the rush.

Good old Tony Benn. Out of the graveyard of washed up politicians to become superbenn, saviour of the world.

 

[osterberg]

What is the union at Hoover and the Welsh TUC going to do?

 

[derf]

What is the union at Hoover and the Welsh TUC going to do?

Scream and shout a bit but end up like all limp cocks. The factories won't give a shit what they do. Go on strike and loose the last pay packets. That will save the factories a couple of bob.

I've no wish to see these people loose their work but "action" will do fuck all.

 

[llantwit]

Please say we can all go on ignoring this cock.

 

[derf]

Go for it but first try to explain what effective action these lefty idiots can take that will have a positive effect and not cost the workers more than loosing their jobs.
They can bleat on about it all they like and have as many washed out, has been, left wing but very rich MPs as you like but you will do a grand total of sod all good and have no effect on the situation at all.

Protests will make it into the local press if you are lucky.

Meetings in rooms above pubs will make the capitalist landlord happy.

Strikes will save the companies a fortune. They are going to close anyway and are overstocked with product so don't care how long you take unpaid holidays for.

Occupations will get you arrested.

Getting shirty over a pint will make a few lefties feel like they are doing a bit of good for the oppressed workers. Pity they are just legends in their own lunchtimes.

Like I said, I don't want these blokes to loose their jobs but there is fuck all you can do about it.

 

[Udo Erasmus]

You see for Derf, the recession is natural like the weather not the product of human action. We notice that the ruling class is quite capable of taking radical action when it comes to their profits - for example, the 500 billion ploudhed into banks, or the billions spent on war. So it is perfectly feasible to talk of a workers bailout.

It is important to smash the myth, action has got results:

In Derry, in the last month at the Calcast factory (that makes parts for Ford), workers occupied, after 90redundancies were announced, the union were slow to support, but the occupation won a much better redundancy package with much better pay offs. (Remember some workers are being laid off in South Wales with NO redundancy pay).

In Cheshire, electricians at Fiddler’s Ferry power station heard that 60 people were being laid off by the agency BMSL that they worked fo, they staged a wildcat strike. A newspaper report: "'When they announced that they were sacking us, the contractors and the subcontractors blamed each other. But we weren’t having it. Nobody from any other trade crossed the picket so they had no choice but to get everyone back on site.' The electricians were reinstated. Some 45 were taken on by another subcontractor, the rest staying with BMSL"

Action meant that 60 people facing spending christmas on the dole still have their jobs.

We are promoting 3 steps to save jobs:

Three steps to save jobs

Nationalise to stop closures | 35 hour week with no pay cut | Build council houses

The threat of redundancy is hanging over the head of millions of workers as the economic slump deepens. Every day seems to bring new announcements of huge job losses at factories, shops and offices around the country.

Gordon Brown and New Labour throw their hands up in dismay at the news – but say there is nothing they can do to stop people being thrown out of work.

They are resigned to an ever increasing number of people being made unemployed, further depressing an economy that is already sinking into recession.

But there are immediate steps that we could take to halt the bonfire of jobs.


Companies planning to axe jobs or cut working hours should be taken into public hands and run in the interest of the workers and wider society. This could save hundreds of thousands of jobs.

It is testament to the madness of capitalism that whenever the system plunges into crisis, millions are thrown out of their work and their vital skills are wasted.

Just because bosses and banks can’t make enough profits from Woolworths doesn’t mean that people don’t need children’s clothes and household essentials.

Car workers being laid off at Jaguar, Ford and Aston Martin have skills that could be used to create the next generation of public transport vehicles.

Manufacturing workers could be retrained and factories retooled to produce the wind turbines and other green energy sources we need to tackle climate change.

British workers in full-time employment work an average of 39.5 hours a week. If this was reduced to a 35-hour week with no loss of pay, it would cut the working week by 4.5 hours and create 2.3 million new jobs.

There are also five million workers working an average of seven hours unpaid overtime every week, according to TUC figures. If those hours became paid work done by other people, it would create a further one million jobs.

The economic crisis has led to thousands of construction workers being sacked. We could employ them to build a new generation of council housing.

This wouldn’t just create jobs – it would provide decent, affordable homes for hundreds of thousands of ordinary people currently living in expensive, overcrowded and substandard accommodation.


These three simple steps are just the first that could be taken to save millions of people’s livelihoods.

They would also help shore up workers’ living standards and prevent the slump from spreading even further.

But workers cannot simply beg the government to implement these measures. These policies all break radically with the free market dogma that New Labour has followed throughout its existence.

It will take a massive struggle by ordinary people to ensure that it is the bosses and their system that are swept away by the economic hurricane – rather than our own livelihoods.

 

[osterberg]

With you there,Llantwit.
The reason I asked the question is that is unlikely however big a facebook campaign is or however many people sign a petition there's not a chance Hoover will pay any attention.
I know it sound s like a cliche but it's true that the only people who are going to challenge this are the workers themselves.
Is there anyway pressure can be appllied to the Welsh TUC to take some sort of action ? Not just on this but all the other job losses that seem to be all over the place . Like to know what people think .

 

[Udo Erasmus]

What is the union at Hoover and the Welsh TUC going to do?

Thus far, the Welsh TUC has shown little fighting spirit, indeed there has been no overall strategy to defend jobs and oppose job cuts from the trade union leadership across Britain, hence what people on the ground do will play a key role in shaping the terrain that the recession will be fought out with, and how badly it will impact on our people. If Hoover comes out fighting it can create momentum that can shape a wider fightback against job cuts. If Hoover comes out fighting they can create momentum to start to force the Wales TUC to act.

The stakes are pretty high. As someone said recently, Are we up to it? Are we up for it?

We don't have many people on the ground, the bigger movement that we can bring together, the more possibility of a fightback that can get results. That's why everyone: anarchist, socialist, trade unionist, regular guys and gals on the street should get to the meetings. If the UNITE convenor at Hoover, shop stewards and other workers turn up to a packed out meeting in Merthyr where people are up for it and they can see how many people want to support them, then they might feel confident to take action.

Re. Hoover, I personally haven't been in contact with them. The impression I get from comrades who have been campaigning in Merthyr was that there was a lot of demoralisation among the workforce and the union, but in a positive step, the campaign that we have launched seems to have turned things around in terms of the possibility of a fight, with the UNITE Convenor at Hoover stating his intention to attend the meeting, and shopstewards putting up our posters all over the plant and urging people to come to the meeting.

What can we do? The best response would be to build towards an occupation through marches, petitioning, rally support and solidarity, public meetings etc. This would show that workers weren't prepared accept the place being shut down, buildings and equipment flogged off and the community left to rot. Obviously, the possibility of organising this, depends a lot on the mood among the workforce and whether the tremendous solidarity shown so far can inspire the will to fight.

Quite naturally, many people are demoralised, and activists can't just wave a magic wand or issue 'instructions' and there hasn't been much recent examples in South Wales (or the rest of Britain) off this kind of action which makes it more difficult to win the argument.

I would argue with Osterberg: The fact that hundreds of people have signed petitions, joined an online website, that Merthyr Tydfil Supporters Club have asked for petitions to take to matches etc. while not enough in itself is important in inspiring people that there is a point in struggling rather than just resigning oneself to fate, it is an important building block of the struggle.

An occupation obviously wouldn't in itself stop the jobs massacre and closure, but it would be a serious start to a struggle that could. It would get a lot of publicity, it would provide a focus to draw people from the wider community and other groups of workers into the struggle not only pilling up the pressure on the employers, but also ramming political pressure on the Welsh Assembly and Westminster government to intervene. It might seem hard to imagine Gordon Brown acting to prevent job losses at Hoover, but in the early 70s when the Upper Clydeside Shipbuilders occupied the shipyard in Glasgow they managed to create a political crisis that forced a Tory government to intervene to save jobs.

 

[osterberg]

Oh,I've got nothing against facebook groups and petitions . They're worth doing but will achieve little by themselves.
I'm all in favour of a big campaign of protest involving matches etc. but the workers at Hoover themselves will need to be at the centre of organising it.
That would be the way to build up self confidence to take some sort of action. Though to be honest , I think it's pretty unlikely due to the hammering manufacturing has had over the last couple of decades , especially round here . Still , there's no harm in trying.

 

[Udo Erasmus]

I'm all in favour of a big campaign of protest involving matches etc. but the workers at Hoover themselves will need to be at the centre of organising it.

This is obviously true. As I said, the workforce were (understandably) very demoralised, and I got the impression that the union had accepted defeat, but the level of support through petitioning etc seems to have turned things around slightly, and some of the workers and families effected have been involved in organising the meetings, and shopstewards at Hoover have been encouraging people to attend to 'Save Hoover's Factory in Merthyr'. This is positive, obviously whether there is the kind of campaign that we hope for will depend a lot on whether people who work there are convinced that there is a point in a struggle and have confidence. As you stated there are many reasons why resistance may not happen, why confidence will be low.

Nothing is automatic, but it is clear that these job cuts and huge closures are going to escalate, and if one place takes a stand it will have a snowball effect in showing that people should and can fight.

I'm not saying that this kind of struggle will take place in Merthyr, but I hope that it will, and solidarity work from people outside of the factory and other workplaces facing closure is important and can have an impact in raising confidence to struggle. And these struggles are important for all working people.

 

[Udo Erasmus]

Still , there's no harm in trying.

Is that a 'call to arms?'

 

[osterberg]

About as near to it as I get.

 

[1927]

I know that its not tehd one thing in the modern world, but surely a better answer than the VAT cut introduced, which imho will benefit noone except the rich who have money in their pockets to buy the luxury goods that are now 2.1% cheaper, would have been to introduce some form of protectionsim.

If goods imported from China had gone up, but goods made here were cheaper surley this would have been more effective in keeping UK jobs, or is this idea wrong on too many levels? If it is inevitable that jobs are going to be lost is it wrong to promote the idea that those job losses are abroad rather than in the UK, or are the workers united with their fellow flad wavers and all job losses are wrong?

I would personally like to see the tax breaks limited to goos manufactured in the UK, or atleast those goods that keep UK workers in jobs. Pointless giving a VAT reduction if all it does is promote the sale of Chinese and Japanese goods. I know this is flawed in that we dont manufacture a hell of a lot here anymore, but it would be a start.

 

[llantwit]

What with Brown and Darling's recent re-nationalisation of the banks it might not be too crazy to imagine them bringing back more protectionism (it made us rich in the first place, after all). But I can't see them doing it - it'd be like admitting neo-liberal economics was wrong all along. It'd make a mockery of economic policy over the last 25 years (at least). Plus, like you say, we don't actually make much here any more to protect, do we?

I know that its not tehd one thing in the modern world, but surely a better answer than the VAT cut introduced, which imho will benefit noone except the rich who have money in their pockets to buy the luxury goods that are now 2.1% cheaper, would have been to introduce some form of protectionsim.

If goods imported from China had gone up, but goods made here were cheaper surley this would have been more effective in keeping UK jobs, or is this idea wrong on too many levels? If it is inevitable that jobs are going to be lost is it wrong to promote the idea that those job losses are abroad rather than in the UK, or are the workers united with their fellow flad wavers and all job losses are wrong?

I would personally like to see the tax breaks limited to goos manufactured in the UK, or atleast those goods that keep UK workers in jobs. Pointless giving a VAT reduction if all it does is promote the sale of Chinese and Japanese goods. I know this is flawed in that we dont manufacture a hell of a lot here anymore, but it would be a start.

 

[penderyn2000]

I think we should be clear that Brown hasn't actually renationalised anything - just bailed out the banks with public money. If they were renationalised there would be structural change and an element of political control.

For once I agree with Udo's assessment of the situation with Merthyr and the kinds of measures necessary to turn this around. The SWP have done good work to prompt a fightback - but then why load the campaign with deadweight reformists who will actively obstruct the kind of fight needed, and why actively build illusions in the likes of Tony Benn, who in power created the pay differentials which split the miners and paved the way for the biggest jobs massacre Wales has ever seen?

Next week's meetings need to create a campaign which fights not only for the right to work but also the organisation of the unemployed and the rights of workers still in work and facing attacks on pay and conditions (like the Heath hospital workers who took work-to-rule action this week). That campaign will have to agree a list of demands which will have to be both more detailed and radical than the vague reformist wishlist that is the People Before Profit charter, neither a programme nor the basis for a united front and therefore making no sense other than as a recruitment tool for the SWP.

 

[derf]

I would have to agree that the wars being fought at the moment are a big problem (Iraq more that a g stan) but that was a product of a very foolish man in the US of A and no number of meeting in boozers will stop a twat like that.
Still business is business and the people that control it have the responability to do the best they can for the company and the people who invest in it.
The workers are there to make money for the company. If they are no longer needed that's that.

Now if the worker want to take over the job and buy out the place that's another story. They then accept the risk and responsability of the management and so are intitiled to a say in the place.
They will soon find they can't have loads of extra cash in the wage packet and only work three afternoons a month.

 

[penderyn2000]

From his viewpoint in Indonesia I don't suppose Derf is aware that the miners of Tower Colliery in South Wales bought their pit and ran it successfully as a workers' co-op for many years. However, that was an exception as most mines were closed for political rather than economic reasons, and it's quite true that co-ops are still subject to the laws of capitalism. That's why we should be arguing for workers control of production, but with the factories paid for by public money and producing not what the market dictates but what people need.

If you view everything through the eyes of owners and managers, you'll undoubtedly come to the same view as them, that profits must be safeguarded and workers are there to be hired and fired according to the company's needs. That's why some of us are socialists. We're used to the cynics, they're ten a penny, and personally, they only motivate me more and increase my sense of solidarity with those other leftists here with whom I'm otherwise arguing.

 

[Udo Erasmus]

CHANGE OF VENUE! CHANGE OF VENUE! CHANGE OF VENUE!

Just got this message:

Hi everyone,

After agreeing a knocked-down fee for the use of their room next Thursday, The Royal Hotel today told me there had been a double booking and that a Christmas Party was taking place - no doubt they had offered to pay top whack!

Since it has been pointed out that many people will be travelling into the event by car that we should try an alternative venue with parking. Therefore, we've moved the event to the STAR Centre on Splott Road. This is easy to get to with good transport links and a car park.

If anyone wants to arrange a lift please get in touch as we can arrange that. Alternatively, if you're in a position to give anyone a lift, again let me know and we'll put you in contact with anyone coming from your area.

STOP THE JOBS MASSACRE IN SOUTH WALES!

THURSDAY 11TH DECEMBER @ 7.30pm,

STAR CENTRE,
SPLOTT ROAD,
SPLOTT,
CARDIFF

 

[Paul Levi]

Illusions in tony benn at new high!

Everyone should pick up today's South Wales Echo. Pages four and five are big two page spread on job-cuts with the centrepiece being a big story on the two meetings and Tony Benn's statement.

Some will call this building illusions in the likes of Tony Benn. Others call it chancing their arms to try to build a mass campaign against unemployment. Hope to see you at the meetings all the same Penderyn.

 

[derf]

From his viewpoint in Indonesia I don't suppose Derf is aware that the miners of Tower Colliery in South Wales .

Memory is slow on this one but I seem to recall that about 200 miners clubbed in to become capitalist owners and ran the place for 10 or 12 years until it was mined dry.
I wonder how much profit they came out with and what redundancy pay they gave to their workers when it closed.

 

[Udo Erasmus]

I hear report that Leanne Wood AM will be making an appearance at one of the meetings, and also after the newspaper piece mentioned, a shop steward from L'Oreal in Lantrisant got in contact to join the campaign.

 

[derf]

Gosh a welsh ass (Arse) member and a union bloke from a stinky water factory.
Bloody hell if they bring a small dog named Thomas you will have Hoover management shitting themselves.

 

[ddraig]

Gosh a welsh ass (Arse) member and a union bloke from a stinky water factory.
Bloody hell if they bring a small dog named Thomas you will have Hoover management shitting themselves.

fuckoff you odious cunt

Leanne is a good AM who sticks to her principles and does a lot of other work

 

[llantwit]

Don't feed him, mate.

 

[penderyn2000]

Anyway, back to the serious business. All I've been concerned about in the comments I've made so far is that the jobs fight is not hamstrung by our choice of allies. If people want to sign up to the PBP charter that's up to them, but the SWP have always argued that the Stop the War campaign should remain focussed around the one central demand of stopping the war - by the same token what we surely need from this week's meetings is a straightforward right to work campaign built around a set of relevant demands. I've written the following leaflet (still at draft stage and not an agreed PR leaflet) and welcome comments from the sentient beings here:

For years governments have been telling us there is not enough money to create jobs or maintain services. Then overnight, they produce billions to bail out failing banks. We must demand they now bail out the workers.

The huge job losses being announced in South Wales are a scandal. Nothing is more fundamental than the right to earn a living. No civilised society can accept millions being cast on the waste heap.

It's time to fight back. We need a mass campaign for the right to work which unites everybody under threat and those already unemployed.

What should this campaign demand?

1 Open the books! If companies like Hoover claim they can't afford to maintain production in Wales, let's see the figures!

2 Take failing companies into public ownership! We pay taxes – now let's see them used in our interest, by taking over factories and offices threatened with closure! If there's no demand for a factory's products, convert it to make what people need, and retrain workers on full pay! No compensation for the bosses!

3 Put the workers in charge! Workers' control is not a pipedream. The miners at Tower proved that when they took over their colliery. But workers shouldn't need to raise their own funds and compete on the market: that's no guarantee against redundancies.

4 A programme of public works to get the unemployed back to work! There can never be enough hospitals, schools, low-cost houses, support for parents, youth and pensioner facilities – so why not use taxpayers' money to build and staff what we need?

5 Defy the anti-union laws! Margaret Thatcher crippled the workers' movement with her laws designed to prevent strikes and solidarity action, giving judges the right to steal union funds. There can be no progress unless these laws are confronted head-on.

Such a campaign will receive a massive boost if any group of workers are prepared to make a stand in defence of their jobs. We must ensure that anyone willing to put their necks on the line through strikes, occupations etc get the utmost solidarity – not just in words but in deeds, and if necessary, hard cash.

But we should not underestimate the weak state of the labour movement after decades of defeat and betrayal. We need to rebuild that movement from the bottom up. We must reject the idea of unions as huge inactive benevolent societies – we need fighting unions under the control of the rank and file. This is not only a fight against redundancy but also a fight for the pay and conditions of those still in work.

Finally, the campaign we need should be a model of democracy – if it elects a steering group or officers all should be answerable and recallable. General meetings of the campaign should be sovereign. All debate should be had out in the open. It's the government and their rich friends who have something to hide – not us.

 

[PAD1OH]

"Take failing companies into public ownership!"

really?

should we just not let failing businesses fail and use tax money to help people create new and better businesses.

 

[derf]

fuckoff you odious cunt

Leanne is a good AM who sticks to her principles and does a lot of other work

Nothing personal against the girl but the welsh ass is about as effective as a chocolate fireguard.
The union rep from another company will be fuck all use to anyone.
A dog may be cute and get a few people to see his picture. Maybe more so if you could get it to bite a member of the management team.

He may even get his own dog food advert if he gets a couple of TV slots under his collar.
hoover will still close.

 

[Udo Erasmus]

Our local new chartists were approached this morning to be the main guests on a radio phone-in about fuel poverty and gas prices, things seem to be hotting up (and I'm not just talking about runaway global warming)

 

[penderyn2000]

"Take failing companies into public ownership!"

really?

should we just not let failing businesses fail and use tax money to help people create new and better businesses.

I'm not proposing bailing out the likes of Hoover, but taking over their plant and, as the rest of 2 says, if necessary converting it to something useful. Nor am I proposing helping people set up new businesses - that was Thatcher's policy (the enterprise allowance scheme), not a socialist one.