ray m: participation, resistance and betrayal among car workers

8/13/2019 Ray M: Participation, resistance and betrayal among car workers

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ray-m-participation-resistance-and-betrayal-among-car-workers 1/7

7 FEBRUARY 2014

Participation, resistance and

betrayal among car workersRay M, a Unite rep, reads Militant Years, Alan Thornett’s political eoir

o! his li!e as a radical car plant "or#er in $%!ord & and dra"s o't soe

political "arnin(s a)o't *participation’ then and *partnership’ today+

► Alan Thornett, Militant Years -ondon, Resistance Boo#s, 2011.

Militant Years is a treendo's )io(raphical acco'nt o! ran#/and/!ile resistance at the Morris Motors

asse)ly plant in o"ley, $%!ord, "hich later )ecae a part o! British -eyland+ The

a'thor Alan Thornett "as a leadin( ilitant at o"ley 'ntil he "as ictiised and sac#ed in 132+

Thornett "as at ario's points a shop ste"ard, conenor and chair o! the !actory’s Transport 5eneral

T5. 'nion )ranch+ 6e "as also chair o! plant’s shop ste"ards coittee+ 6e oined the !actory

"or#!orce in 18 and the o'nist 9arty the !ollo"in( year+

:n 1;; he and other shop ste"ards s"itch alle(iance to the <ocialist -a)o'r -ea('e, the lar(est

Trots#yist c'rrent in the le!t at the tie, led )y 5erry 6ealy+ Thornett and his corades "ere e%pelled

!ro lea('e in 174, "hich "ent on to renae itsel! the =or#ers Reol'tionary 9arty+

The asse)ly plant had a "or#!orce o! 12,000 in the 1;0s, 100> 'nionised and led )y an elected

?00/stron( shop ste"ards coittee+ The <-- )oasted 10 e)ers in the area, incl'din( 40 car

plant shop ste"ards+

By 1;4 o"ley )oasted aro'nd 280 stri#es a year+ An o!!icial (oernent in@'iry !o'nd that atrocio's

"or#in( conditions "ere to )lae+ The intense press're o! "or#in( on the trac# "as the ain ca'se o!'nrest+ <ections o! the prod'ction line, each "ith its o"n shop ste"ards, "o'ld see !lare/'ps and

"al#o'ts+ $ne section "al#in( o!! tended to ean others )ein( laid o!! as the ipact o! the prod'ction

halt spread to other areas+

9hysical deandin( la)o'r, sectional stren(th and socialist leadership ade the asse)ly plant one o!

the ost ilitant in the co'ntry, "ith the stri#e rate risin( to ?00 a year !ro 1;3 to 130+

Ray M 9articipation, resistance and )etrayal aon( car "or#ers reol'tionarysocialis+t')lr+co 17

http://revolutionarysocialism.tumblr.com/post/75932248532/participation-resistance-and-betrayal-among-car


http://socialistresistance.org/1864/militant-years-in-the-car-industry


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Thornett



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialist_Labour_League











$er the years this ran#/and/!ile stren(th led to )i( iproeents !or at o"ley car "or#ers, 'ntil their

"a(es and conditions "ere aon( the )est in E'rope+

Production and politics

=or#ers also "on si(ni!icant control oer 'ch o! the prod'ction process at o"ley+ 9iece"or#

a(reeents (ae shop ste"ards a eto oer the pace o! prod'ction shop ste"ards ne(otiated the

price !or each o)+ :! there "as no deal "or#ers "o'ld slo" their "or# rate to the )asic, drastically

red'cin( prod'ction+

The Cannin( a(reeentD (ae the shop ste"ards control oer sta!!in( leels any chan(e to the o)

re@'ired ne(otiated chan(es to this a(reeent )e!ore the o) co'ld )e(in+ The Coeent o! la)o'rD

a(reeent re('lated o) allocation "or#ers co'ld only )e oed o't o! their departent on the )asis

o! seniority o! serice+ o) allocation had preio'sly )een a leel !or patrona(e and discipline+ o" it

"as placed in the hands o! shop ste"ards+

:n 1;7 a si(ni!icant ictory sa" the end o! the colo'r )ar at the plant+ $nce Morris Motors had !oral

policy not to eploy )lac# people+ This had ended in the 180s, )'t )lac# "or#ers "ere still only

eployed in the cleansin( departent+ <hop ste"ards s'ccess!'lly challen(ed this+ By the end o! the

1;0s alost a !i!th o! "or#ers in the asse)ly plant "ere )lac#+

This ictory loo#s een ore ipressie in conte%t+ Racis "as )ein( sto#ed )y the (oernent and

the ational Front+ <hop ste"ards had to !i(ht racis aon( "or#ers in the plants and a(ainst racist

eployent practices+ The esta)lishent o! a si(ni!icant )lac# inority at the plant "as lar(ely do"n to

the e!!orts o! socialist shop ste"ards+ This "as not lost on )lac# "or#ers prooted !ro s"eepin(

!loors+

Battling a Labour government

Thornett (ies (raphic acco'nts o! ost iportant shop!loor str'((les inside the plant, incl'din( a

series o! one/day political stri#es a(ainst -a)o'r’s anti/'nion le(islation and the Tories’ s')se@'ent

:nd'strial Relations Act+ B't the )oo# is also (ies a so)erin( reinder o! ho" 'nion o!!icials can

'nderine ran#/and/!ile reolt+

Thornett recalls the resistance to Bar)ara astle’s anti/'nion la"s o! 1;, #no"n as :n 9lace $! <tri!e+

o"ley’s ste"ards lo))yied the TU to call a national one/day protest stri#e and pers'aded the $%!ord

plant "or#ers to oin in+

This 'no!!icial action #ic#ed o!! a capai(n o! o!!icial stri#es to C#ill the )illD+ At least 280,000 "or#ers

str'c# a(ainst a -a)o'r (oernent, e!!ectiely endin( astle’s plans+






Yet astle’s diaries reeal that the sae trade 'nion chie!s "ho p')licly attac#ed her "hite paper "o'ld

s'pport the proposals in priate+ :t "as or(anisation on the shop !loor that "rec#ed :n 9lace $! <tri#e+

astle had (ood reason to hope that trade 'nion leaders "o'ld p'll shop ste"ards into line+

<o eployers, (oernent and 'nion leaders had a coon ca'se in 'nderinin( the po"er o!

elected shop ste"ards+ Thornett po"er!'lly deonstrates ho" !ar trade 'nion o!!icials, le!t and ri(ht,coll'ded "ith eployers and the state to c'r) ran#/and/!ile po"er+

An early de!eat !or shop ste"ards at o"ley cae "hen ana(eent replaced piece"or# "ith

Meas'red Gay =or#+ 9iece"or# inoled a rate !or each o), (iin( ste"ards si(ni!icant )ar(ainin(

po"er+ MG=, in contrast, "as a !lat pay rate esta)lished ia tie and otion st'dies+ MG= "o'ld

speed 'p lines and eent'ally depress pay !or car "or#ers+ A seen/"ee# stri#e a(ainst MG= at

o"ley ended in de!eat at the end o! 170 "hen 'nion o!!icials caed in+ This "as a si(ni!icant set)ac#

!or shop ste"ards in the plant+

Breaking the power of the Trots

A lar(e part o! Thornett’s )oo# details the !i(ht a(ainst his o"n ictiisation, "hich started in retaliation

!or a "in )y 180 driers stri#in( !or a onth+ Thornett and other leadin( ste"ards "ere a)'shed )y an

alliance o! eployers, the edia & and the o"ley =ies, a (ro'p o! "or#ers’ "ies+ All deanded the

ilitants )e sac#ed+

T5 !'ll/tiers char(ed Thornett "ith )rin(in( the 'nion into disrep'te and tried to e%pel hi !ro the

'nion+ This "as a cr'sade to C)rea# the po"er o! the TrotsD, as Gaid B'c#le, the T5 re(ional o!!icer

responsi)le !or o"ley, later re!lected in his eoirs+ C=e did eerythin( "e possi)ly co'ld to try to

)rea# the )ac#s o! these people+D

The !lisy char(es a(ainst Thornett and other ste"ards "ere oined )y other tactics #an(aroo co'rts

r'n )y 'nion )'rea'cratsH attepts to )an the le!t !ro ste"ard eetin(sH )allot anip'lation+ All "ere

part o! a systeatic capai(n )y 'nion o!!icials a(ainst the plant’s ran#/and/!ile leadership+

The advent of “workers participation”

Thornett proides a detailed and conincin( acco'nt o! 'nnecessary coproises and )etrayals )y

'nion o!!icials that played a si(ni!icant role in derailin( the ran#/and/!ile oeent+ B't there "ere

other iportant !actors that also ade aor contri)'tions to the set)ac#s+

=e need to (rasp these i! "e are to hope to coe to ters "ith the pro)les that 'nraelled to the

de!eat ran#/and/!ile or(anisation in car plants+ Yet Thornett’s )oo# says little a)o't t"o #ey political

relationships that )et"een shop ste"ards and ordinary 'nion e)ers, and that )et"een ran#/and/!ile

and the trade 'nion )'rea'cracy+

Ray M 9articipation, resistance and )etrayal aon( car "or#ers reol'tionarysocialis+t')lr+co ?7

http://oxfordleftreview.com/matt-myers-lessons-from-the-past-womens-struggles-in-oxford/


http://oxfordleftreview.com/matt-myers-lessons-from-the-past-womens-struggles-in-oxford/




British -eyland "as !ored in 1;3 eployin( aro'nd 200,000 "or#ers, "ith a !'rther 800,000 in its

s'pply chain+ :ts co)ined shop ste"ards coittee dre" to(ether plant conenors !ro 18 di!!erent

'nions+ :t "as the driin( !orce in B- & and its in!l'ence "as !elt !ar )eyond+

The car ind'stry "as strate(ically iportant, and car "or#ers one o! the ost co)atie sections o! the

"or#in( class+ 40,000 en(ineers str'c# in 172 in solidarity "ith iners+ 10,000 oined the ass pic#et<altley (ate, helpin( iners "in a 20> pay rise+ ar "or#ers "ere at the crest o! a risin( tide o!

ind'strial str'((le that "o'ld eent'ally dro"n 6eath’s 170/74 Tory (oernent+

Eployers "ere !orced to deelop strate(ies to 'nderine and de!eat independent ran#/and/!ile

leadership+ =hen a -a)o'r (oernent "as elected in 174, national 'nion leaders s"'n( )ehind its

incoes policy+ Mean"hile the ran#/and/!ile "as losin( a cr'cial )attle to preent plant/leel pay )ein(

replaced "ith corporate )ar(ainin(+

ational corporate )ar(ainin( at B- "as 'st one step in the e))in( o! the shop ste"ards oeent

and its econoic po"er+ This )e(an "ith national a)olition o! piece "or#+ onenors and !'ll/tie 'nion

o!!icers "o'ld no" ne(otiate "a(e deals+

:n 178, shortly a!ter British -eyland’s nationalisation, C"or#ers participationD )ecae 'nion policy+ The

"or#er participation schee at British -eyland "as #no"n as the Ryder 9lan+ :t "o'ld s'c# senior

ste"ards into coll'sion "ith ana(eent and ne'tralise shop!loor actiis+

ndermining the shopfloor

9articipation str'ct'res "o'ld increasin(ly proide an alternatie str'ct're to shop ste"ard

or(anisation, not least )eca'se o! the o'nist 9arty’s acceptance o! the plan+ The 9 "as

in!l'ential in the car ind'stry, hain( )'ilt a serio's )ase in the precedin( !o'r decades+ :t "as central to

sellin( the Ryder 9lan at B- to a layer o! ran#/and/!ile ilitants+ A o'nist 9arty paphlet, British

-eyland <ae :t, ar('ed that Cthe o'nist 9arty not only considers these proposals o! al'e and

)ene!it to -eyland "or#ers in the short ter+ =e also )eliee they are o! e%ceptional iportance in the

str'((le !or socialis+D

:n practice "or#er participation ade 9 reps and conenors responsi)le !or day/to/day

ipleentation o! ana(eent policy+ This eant policin( the "or#!orce, dealin( "ith stri#es and

en!orcin( CointD decisions+ :n t'rn the three/tier participation str'ct're plant, diisional and national

leel. so'(ht "ith soe s'ccess to t'rn shop ste"ards into cheerleaders !or copetitieness and

speed/'p+ <oon #ey ste"ards li#e Gere# Ro)inson, conenor at -on()rid(e and chair o! the B-

co)ine, "ere prono'ncin( in CointD reports that C"e can (ra) that e%tra )it o! the "orld ar#ets and

(ie o'rseles the rep'tation "e 'ndo')tedly desereD+ These coittees "o'ld eent'ally allo" B-

)osses to !oist responsi)ility !or ana(eent decisions on to participatin( shop ste"ards, incl'din(

decisions s'ch as assie plant clos'res and o) c'ts+


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Leyland


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Leyland




!esistance to participation

Thornett recalls a "onder!'l story o! "or#ers resistin( a 178 attept to ipleent participation+ The

o"ley 9articipation oittee decided to la'nch a C@'ality capai(nD on the 9rincess trac# & the

ost ilitant trac# in the plant+ 9rincess "or#ers "o'ld !ace iediate disciplinary action i! their "or#

"as s')standard+

Mana(eent soon s'spended t"o trac# "or#ers "itho't pay on alle(ed @'ality (ro'nds+ The trac#

"al#ed o't !or t"o days+ 9articipation oittee shop ste"ards et "ith stri#in( "or#ers to o!!er a

CointD in@'iry in ret'rn !or a "ithdra"al o! s'spensions+ B't the stri#ers had no !aith in the proposed

in@'iry+ They oted to reect the proposal and (o hoe !or the rest o! the day+

The ne%t day "or#ers discoered that the CointD in@'iry had )een set 'p anyho"+ The trac# proptly

do"ned tools and a(ain et 9articipation oittee shop ste"ards+ They deno'nced the in@'iry,

otin( instead !or a shop ste"ards in@'iry into pro)les "or#ers !aced on the trac#+ A !'rther ote r'ledthat any ore s'spensions "o'ld )e et )y 9rincess "or#ers closin( do"n the orth "or#s 'ntil the

s'spensions "ere "ithdra"n+

A !e" days later t"o ore "or#ers "ere s'spended+ 9rincess "or#ers do"ned tools and spread

thro'(h the plant, )'ildin( )arricades across the other trac#s+ =ithin in'tes the "hole orth "or#s

"as at a standstill+

The 9articipation oittee conenor re!'sed to eet the stri#ers, "ho decided to arch to his o!!ice

in <o'th "or#s any"ay+ 6e "as loc#ed inside ('arded )y ana(eent and sec'rity+ <oe "or#ers (ot

thro'(h a side "indo" and eer(ed thro'(h the !ront a !e" in'tes later tradin( ins'lts "ith the

conenor+ An ho'r later, orth "or#s reained at a standstill and the conenor’s o!!ice 'nder sie(e+

Mana(eent caed in and "ithdre" the s'spensions+

"ackings and closures

178 sa" the Ryder Report on B- esta)lish corporate )ar(ainin( and participation )odies to prepare

the "ay !or a ne" )oss, <o'th A!rican )'sinessan Michael Ed"ardes+ 6e "as to a#e ore r'thless

'se o! Coint interestD ideolo(y+

:n 177 Ed"ardes "as (ien carte )lanche to restore British -eyland to pro!ita)ility and ret'rn it to the

priate sector+ 6e scrapped the Ryder plan and la'nched a ne" initiatie called Bac# Fro The Brin#+

6e 'neiled it at the Ienil"orth 6otel in oentry to an a'dience o! oer 700 shop ste"ards, 'nion

o!!icers, plant directors and ana(ers+ This #ind o! oint con!erence "as 'nprecedented in B- and "as

testiony to detriental e!!ects o! three years’ participation+


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryder_Report_(British_Leyland)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Edwardes


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryder_Report_(British_Leyland)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Edwardes




At the con!erence Ed"ardes o)tained the consent o! conenors and 'nion o!!icials !or at least 12,800

sac#in(s+ Gere# Ro)inson rea!!ired the 9’s s'pport !or participation, leadin( a standin( oation !or

the B- chairan that lasted seeral in'tes+ ac# ones and 6'(h <canlon, (eneral secretaries o! the

T5 and AUE=, later appeared alon(side Ed"ardes in aderts captioned C=e’re all on the sae side

o! the !ence+D

:n 130 Ro)inson "as sac#ed & a conscio's )lo" a(ainst the shop ste"ards oeent+ B't )y this

point the co)ine had )een !atally 'nderined )y the "illin(ness o! Ro)inson and others to enter the

participation coittees set 'p )y the -a)o'r (oernent+ The 9’s enth'siastic s'pport !or

participation and its #ey ideolo(ical coponent, Ccopany ia)ilityD, eant it co'ld not o)ilise

e)ers to de!end Ro)inson once Ed"ardes declared it "as a choice )et"een Ro)inson or clos're+

# catalogue of collusion

Thornett ar('es that 'nion o!!icials coll'din( "ith ana(eent to 'nderine the ran#/and/!ile openedthe door to the Thatcher onsla'(ht+ 6e proides an oer"helin( catalo('e o! eidence to s'pport his

position+

They 'nderined 'nion deocracy, or(anised ass sca))in( a(ainst "or#ers in rial 'nions, and

so"ed the seeds o! diision and disill'sion aon( 'nion e)ers+ =hat’s rear#a)le is the contin'ed

resilience o! ran#/and/!ile "or#ers in resistin( this treachery !or seeral years+

B't "or#ers participation "as a central plan# o! the eployers’ strate(y+ :t too played a cr'cial role in

de!eatin( the ran#/and/!ile+ And as Thornett accepts, no)ody 'nderstood the si(ni!icance o!

participation 'ntil it "as too late+ By the tie Ed"ardes had arried, 'nions had already )een

"ea#ened+

Militant shop ste"ards "ere also 'nder attac# !ro "ithin+ Their shop !loor 'nion str'ct'res "ere

'nderined and in o"ley eent'ally disantled+ By 132, Ed"ardes had sac#ed tens o! tho'sands

and closed nearly 20 plants+ 6e )ecae a role odel in ind'strial ana(eent !or Thatcher+ oal )oss

:an Mc5re(or, later headh'nted )y Thatcher to ta#e on the iners, c't his teeth as a B- )oard e)er

'nder Ed"ardes+

Lured into the trapThe "or#ers participation coittees and ideolo(ical trap o! ia)ility allo"ed capacity and annin(

leels to )e c't r'thlessly "ith little e!!ectie resistance+ :n 131, d'rin( a third "ae o! clos'res, shop

ste"ards )e(an to realise that "or#ers participation had )een a t'rnin( point !or the eployers+

onenor and co)ine treas'rer Mic# lar#e ar('ed that Cthe pro)le "as that Ed"ardes had l'lled

ost o! 's into s'pportin( hi at the 177 Ienil"orth con!erence, and this is the res'ltD+

Ray M 9articipation, resistance and )etrayal aon( car "or#ers reol'tionarysocialis+t')lr+co ;7





Thornett says that once shop ste"ards had accepted the ia)ility ar('ent, it "as ipossi)le !or a

sin(le plant or ind'stry to resist the chan(es+ :t "o'ld hae ta#en a ery di!!erent set o! politics in the

trade 'nion oeent & and there!ore a di!!erent attit'de to str'((le & to hae aoided this !ate+

The str'((les coered in Thornett’s )oo# o!!ered a (reat opport'nity to oercoe the historic "ea#ness

o! the British shop ste"ards oeent stron( or(anisation and "ea# politics+ Thornett says it "as achance to !or(e a political oeent that co'ld (o )eyond the constraints o! -a)o'ris and 9

thin#in( that doinated the national ran#/and/!ile leadership+

6o"eer, Thornett and his corades also issed a !antastic opport'nity to de!eat participation at

o"ley+ The !i(ht "a(ed )y 9rincess trac# "or#ers co'ld hae )een (eneralised across o"ley & and

then perhaps across the ind'stry+

Learning the lessons

=e need to learn lessons !ro ista#es detailed in this al'a)le )oo# in partic'lar coll'sion )y trade

'nion o!!icials and ri(ht "in( reps a(ainst e!!ectie shop!loor resistance+ Actiists need to con!ront these

pro)les as "e re)'ild deocratic "or#place str'ct'res today+ =e need to reconstit'te the idea o!

C"or#ers’ po"erD i! "e are to re)'ild independent ran#/and/!ile or(anisation+

The )est "ay to achiee this is, o! co'rse, thro'(h soe si(ni!icant ictories+ B't in the a)sence o!

si(ni!icant ictories "e still need to n'rt're ran#/and/!ile sel!/actiity at "hateer leel it c'rrently e%ists+

Geelopin( this resistance "ill in t'rn deelop class con!idence and class conscio'sness+ That inoles

a conscio's political leadership that challen(es CpartnershipD, the odern incarnation o! CparticipationD

and Cia)ilityD+

Actiists "ill need to deelop an alternatie ision o! ind'stry and society or(anised thro'(h a politics

that o)ilises "or#ers a(ainst the a'sterity a(enda o! )oth (oernent and eployers & )y or(anisin(

"hereer opport'nities present theseles+




ray m: participation, resistance and betrayal among car workers

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