The strike at Jaguars, Coventry, is now in its tenth week, The management never dreamt that the workers would stay out for this long; they had expected the strike to collapse soon after the holiday. Consequently they had talks with the strike committee and proposed a deal. The terms were £44 all round, a lump sum payment of £25 and acceptance of the principle of a new method of payment (i.e. Measured Day Work instead of piece-rates). This offer was unanimously rejected by a mass meeting.
IMPROVED OFFER After this rejection, the management immediately made an improved offer which was discussed by a mass meeting on 22 August. This deal included a lump sum payment equivalent to giving each section an average rise of E3 over the next six months. The effect of this was to split the strikers. On the one hand the trim shop were getting a Jump sum of E80 and a cut in wages; thus they were still bitterly opposed to the deal. On the other hand the lower paid sections were offered a rise of $3 per week, which they were quite willing to accept. Although the offer was rejected by the meeting, it has meant a weakening in the strike and a growth in inter-sectional hostility. At further meetings with management, union officials proposed that the deal should include an extra rise of £3 at the end of six months. This was of course rejected by the management, and indicates that there is still a considerable gap between the two sides. At present there is a stalemate. Management is now prepared to accept a deal which only commits the union to accepting the principle of a new method of payment. But, seen in the context of BLM's overall plans for rationalising their production, management will be prepared to stick out much longer if necessary to make sure of getting this, despite the heavy losses they are incurring. We can now see how the weaknesses in the strike committee's strategy (as outlined in The Red Mole, 46) have effected the progress of the strike. They have always seen and fought the strike simply within the context of Jaguars. Thus they have never been able to fight MDW; to do this requires a much broader conception which takes into account BLMC's overall plans, the general economic difficulties within the car industry, etc. Consequently when a return to work was posed, the argument was around what price will we accept to get MDW, rather than whether or not we will allow the management to introduce MDW. By failing to bring this issue to the foreground, the strike committee has made it easier for the management to split the workers, both inside Jaguars and in the combine as a whole. William Thompson.
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE: Tariq Ali, Robin Blackburn, Peter Gowan, Alan Jones, Martin Meteyard, John Weal, Judith White.
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