Massey's answer claim with MDW

A CLAIM by 4,800 hourly-paid workers at the giant Massey Ferguson tractor plant in Coventry, has been answered by management plans to abolish piecework altogether.

In its place the company to Measured Day Work which will enormously the pace of labour and productivity in the factory.

sions and the relating of fixed bonus employees to movements in piecework earnings. tary redundancy' and voluntary retirement throughout the plant.

The hrm attacks piecework stating that it is 'major liability against assets'. AS 'proof' of claims numerous stoppages over the past year and a quarter -they claim the plant had only 27 weeks of full production and that most of the disputes related to piecework.

The firm brushes away the fifth point in the union claim which was "the resolving of outstanding claims and anomalies noted during the 1972 agreement' As far as Massey is concerned it is the piecework system which caused 'a wide disparity of earnings'.

This caused resentment and discontent and produced conflict and interruptions in producBut workers claim many of the disputes have seen. as a result of 'deliberate provocation' 'Strings' allowed by national officials over the past four years have been rigorously enforced.

Mutually-agreed mobility labour, which the trade union movement allowed in the past to avoid redundancy, has been used by the firm to transfer men as and when it thinks fit-often at lower earnings. It was actions like these that led to stoppages in the assembly shop causing lay-offs in the 15 months that the firm talks about.

MOBILITY

In the firm's statement it inSists on complete mobility of labour and the 'voluntary' redundancy of 182 assembly workers. And if 182 do not volunteer -what then?

As a steward from Massey Ferguson told Workers Press: 'The firm is at present tooled up to produce over 70,000 tractors a year but production sales in the current financial year are expected to be only 49,000 units.' The leadership of the Joint Shop Stewards' Committee was attacks bey the firm. Used as it unprepared for these sharp was to the compromise of the old boom days, it took no account of the deep world crisis SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE MEETING Merthyr Tydfil Build the revolutionary Join the Socialist Labour e Socialist League basic democratic Make the Tories resig TUESDAY APRIL 10 7.30 p.m.

Caedraw School Caedraw Merthyr Tydfil Speaker: G. Healy SLL national secreta NEWS DESK 01-720 2000 CIRCULATION 01-622 7029 Massey on a dı precinc stewards to fight tractor plant speed-up proposals wants BY A WORKERS PRESS CORRESPONDENT Massey Ferguson factory banner Fer:

non ic Shop of the capitalist system and the enormous trade war where Massey Ferguson is fighting powerful rivals like the Ford Motor Company in the tractor field.

The committee didn't take a decision until February to give full support to any section defending pay and conditions of work, following an investigation by a sub-committee.

The firm's attack on workers' rights continue even as they meet union officials today.

A strike at an outside component firm, Rubery Owen, which produces the fuel tanks for the tractors, has led to a lay-off of Massey Ferguson assembly workers.

Inside Massey Ferguson some sections are restricting overtime or banning overtime as a result of the firm refusing to settle claims or carry out agreements.

The management has announced that although the assembly workers are laid off due SLL LECTURE SERIES The revolutionary and the history British working Merthyr Tydfil Caedraw School Merthyr Tydfil Sundays April 8 and Lectures given by The Unions and class in Britain.

The Revolutionary Pas British working class future.

The Transformation of the SLL Into a Revolutionary Party.

READING Trotsky, Where Is Going? Problems British Revolution.

Perspectives for Transforming the SLL into a Revolutionary Marxist Analysis impose increase class t of the -and Its Britain

CHRYSLER TOOLROOM

RYTON to an outside component firm's strike, none of them will get guaranteed lay-off pay unless the sections within Massey lift their overtime restrictions.

The proposal in the firm's MDW plan lays down six grades of workers with wages ranging down from £54.11 to £34.04. The maximum increase allowed any worker" will be £4.81 and those already on £54.11 or over will get nothing. 'Full work-measurement in all areas, fixed breaks and acceptance of full mobility of labour' is central to the scheme.

REJECTED

The attack by Massey's must be taken in conjunction with the statement from CBI chief Michael Clapham openly declaring that workers must produce more.

The shop Massey SLL LECTURE SERIES Socialist Revolt Hey Community Middleton Sunday April 8 Lectures given by Cliff Slaughter (SLL Central Committee) The Socialist Revolution In Britain: 3. The state and revolution. Reformism and revolution in Britain. The fight for democratic rights today means preparing for working-class power. Basic reading:

Perspectives for the SLL into a Marxist Analysis Problems of the lution (Trotsky).

Death Agony of Capitalism and the Tasks of the Fourth International, Communist Manifasto.

stewards' committee has completely reMiddleton Manchester transforming Crisis.

British RevoMF roxa 4583.

ALL OUT FOR TRA jected the firm's MDW plans and is insisting that at today's talks union officials must not discuss Measured-Day Work but press the claim that the workers have put in.

The scene is now set for a major confrontation. Of course it will be one that does not only involve Massey management. The call to reject MDW and press forward for a substantial wage rise is now illegal under the Phase Two regulations that came into force yesterday. If they do fight, therefore, the Massey workers will be up against the Tory government and all its legislation.

Such a fight will require more than the usual militancy, but a political leadership capable of mobilizing the working class inside and outside Massey's in General Strike action to force the Tories to resign and elect a Labour government that will repeal all its anti-working-class laws.

All Trades Unions Alliance MEETINGS DAGENHAM: Tuesday April 3, 8 prate Aving, Barking Victory Fanto the Hospital Workers. Make the Tories Resign'.

PADDINGTON: Tuesday April 3, 8 p.m. 'Prince of Wales', cnr. Harrow Road/Gt Western Road, W9. 'Victory to the Hospital Workers. Make the Tories Resign'.

TOTTENHAM: Tuesday April 3, 8 p.m. Bricklayers Arms, Tottenham High Road, nr. White Hart Lane. TUC must call a General Strike to make the Tories resign'.

EBBW VALE

Wednesday April 4, 7.30 p.m.

'Stop the closures-make the Tories resign' ,Tabernacle Congregational Church, Armoury Street, Ebbw Vale.

Speakers: Michael Banda and & Shotton steelworker.

WEMBLEY: Wednesday April 4, Copland School, High treet. 'Tory "Law-and Order"_ Preparation for dictatorship'. Paper dish Street London, She Pis Clapham High Street, Landon,, SW4 01-622-7029. still has illusions

PAQE 12 Workars Prace, Tuaaday April 8, 1973