Get, put, apply pressure, re-grasp, eye action, crank, step, foot motion, bend, weight factors. THE OTIS AGREEMENT

THESE ARE THE ten basic elements of methods, time, measurement (MTM), the time-andmotion system which Otis Elevator company may bring to its Liverpool works.

The above are termed basic motions and employers and work consultants claim that all manual work can be broken down into a combination of these movements.

For each move there exists a series of fixed times called pre-determined time standards. This method is based on the principle that the movements of people at work can be analysed and rationalized in the same way as those of a machine so as to cut out all wasted motion, motion not in and for the work process, so as to attain a maximum of speed without any slowing due to exhaustion.

Its introduction at Otis's directly follows a declaration by the management that •... the immediate target of the company is to reduce time standards through negotiation and mutual agreement by an approximate amount of six million minutes.' Agreement This is just one aim of a proposed long-term agreement for all the hourly-rated employees at the Liverpool works. Based on the agreement reached between the employers and the engineering union leaders last December, many of its other proposals reflect this 'workers are machines' outlook-that a procedure for measuring relaxation be fixed :

'for the purpose of re-establishing and in the majority of cases reducing current relaxation allowances.' That there will be 'The re-introduction of the system of clocking in and out at lunch time for both new park books NEWSLETTER Trade Unions : No Laws Against the Trade Unions! (G. The Alternative to Wilson (G. Healy) Lessons of the 1966 Seamen's Strike (M. Nolan)

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1960-1 Belgia are available 186a Claphan London, S.W.! TO THE ENGIZERS the day and night-shift ployees. and 'The extension of shiftworking arrangements, including three-shift systems.' and 'Acceptance of automatic data-collection by computer if time and bonus record3d. 6d. 6d.

3d.

3d. 3d.

3d.

Pearce) 2d.

1s. Od.

Banda) 6d.

2s.

Od. 6d.

year 7s. year 18s.

And also that "The formal morning and afternoon 10-minutes sit-down tea-break to be discontinued. Employees may continue to take refresh nent at times of their cho ssing while continuing with their normal work.' Allowances The cutting of relaxation allowances is one of the main methods used by work-study to speed-up workers.

The high level of physical aptitude : and dexterity of movement among workers of most of the industrialized countries means that little can be gained by trying to speedup their movements.

No-one hammers slowly or takes a long time to turn a screwdriver, and with work associated with machinery it is usually impossible to make slow movements anyway.

But one thing that has resulted from this high rate of working is that workers have evolved for themselves adequate rest breaks during the work process to ensure mental and physical relaxation.

It is these breaks that the employers aim to eliminate.

Instead, they want to work out one long continuous list of the PUT, GET, CRANK, EYE ACTION 1, FOOTMOTION routine to run from clock-on to clock-off.

Suitable Of course, the work-study men will say that they have allowed 'suitable' (sometimes they say "adequate') times to cover rest.

They will claim that 'standard time' is the actual time for a movement, plus an extra allowance for contingencies and rest. But who has decided what is 'suitable' ?

The fact is, that the original rest-times were arrived at by the workers in keeping with their own well-being, whereas the new times are solely dictated by the drive for more profit from fewer workers.

MTM itself is no more than an attempt to blind with 'science' the workers who are facing what is blatantly a speed-up method.

Work-study men will aim to use it to 'prove' to the workers concerned that it is easy to work non-stop, and also to 'prove' that all the new times are reasonable.

The introduction of the three-shift system means that this non-stop working is to be on a 24-hour day, seven-day week basis for every job.

No details are given in the agreement about the automatic data-collecting system mentioned, but in some firms this has turned out to be the use of methods to spy on operators at work.

Machines are linked up by electrical lines to a computer which records every move and provides a dossier on every operator's work. This is certainly more than 'bonus recording'.

Tea-break On the elimination of teabreaks, experience elsewhere has shown that at first, this may mean some advantage to the workers while they are having their normal rest breaks; later on the employers specify fixed times during the day in which workers may have a break.

For example, they may be allowed to drink tea only some time between 10 and Il a.m. and between 2 and 3 p.m.

Finally, when systems like MTM are implemented, there is simply no time for any break whatsoever.

Also associated with this move is often the removal of canteens and the introduction of vending machines.

The clauses in the proposals show that four other workstudy methods are to be introduced as well as MTM.

These are :

Job evaluation, which will be 'the chief medium to be used by the company for all future job classifications. The usual aim in factories of changing job classification is to break down all job titles and trades and instead, set up La series of simplited grades into which all work is fitted.

Direct time-study. In addition to pre-determined times - those taken from work study's own Manual of Synthetic Times - the management also want to use times taken directly on the job.

Random sampling. This system allows management or work study men to pounce on a worker at any time and to take a sample study of his work to see if it is up to standard.

Method study. This is undertaken at first as an examination of exactly how an operator is working or how a job is being done.

Later, a plan of how the management thinks the job ought to be done is presented to the worker, together with the MTM Grading The introduction of grading based on job-evaluation in schemes similar to this one has usually meant the introduction of full flexibility and interchangeability of working, with workers being changed from job to job, and up- or downgraded to 'loosen up the This often leads to turning every worker into a graded general labourer, available for any work the management gives him. In these proposals the management gives a hint along these lines when it says:

'... that any lines of demarcation or similar restrictive practices should not be permitted to hinder the company in working towards increased efficiency?

Some examples given in the proposals are: the employment of women on certain work at present done by men:

'Controller wiring, solid state assembly, armature winding, press work, machine operating ' and 'Acceptance of the principle that where suitable and in specific areas, skilled tradesmen may be supplemented by the employment of unskilled workers. Appropriate training will be given to these persons' d again 'The use by production operatives of pendant-controlled overhead cranes in the normal production duties and in the event of the regular service operator being unavailable.' Savings One important point that applies to these proposals and all others that conform to the government's incomes policy, is that the introduction of new working methods is a continuous process and not a onceand-for all affair.

Work-study does not fix one set of times and leave it at that, it revises all work, conThe Newsletter HWIERWEEKEY ORGAN OF THE GENTRAI COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUEI The engineers' pay claim THE BIGGEST SELL-OUT SINCE 1926 I NEW BLACA FRIDAY is written into the history of -British labour movement - Friday, November 22. The decision of the AEF National Committer on that The Nosember 22 date to accept the engineering employers' current wages National (ommitter soted fer and the deadly productivity "strings' is an open Allance Mutton For the ult against the organized working class by the remist trade union leaders. the sell-out and hetrayal of a confident mass mosement! Labour lefts' It was the hand of blow only reformists can deliver ready and willing to fight.

It was reformism's contribution to the Bonn bankers' • political arm of reformism attached from the front, and the support cost•Irategy for war on the Luropcan working class. Jenkins and sional (ommitter closed in from the rear. with 1t *cognized of-living rise anat the emplosers nase cateneir dut cheap was lodeed in Outober 1967 desaluation pound and the and the annard I on the day of the sell-out his the pines ndes has rise insErts of tigures The sell-out by the engineering union leaders-the biggest since 1926 as way for Te implementation of the Da the Workers' Press) described it last December-has prepared the agreement. stantly trying to increase output and to make further 'savings'.

On this the proposals say :

'Revisions to established time standards may be made for any of the following reasons :

(1) Change in method -equipment - fixturestooling - speeds quantities.

Change in design.

Change in material.

Demonstrable clerical error.' The point is again emphasized, where it is noted that the interim period agreement which was retained in the revised wage structure agreement of 1967 shall be modified and that:

'this agreement in the future will provide management with the right to re-time any operation in the Liverpool works, whether or not mutually agreed time standards have been established on the operation concerned Other points made in the proposals about methods of working are that there be:

•Withdrawal of the unofficial factory-wide mandates against selective overtime.' That there be :

'Acceptance that the principle of overtime will be worked by sections, groups or individuals as the workload demands.' And further :

'It is intended that excessive overtime on a regular basis will not be worked as it is not in the best long-term interest of workers or supervisors.' Convenience This last clause may indicate that the firm has a long-term policy of eliminating overtime altogether, but at the moment they find it to their convenience to keep it going.

In return for the full cooperation of employees in implementing the provisions of this proposed agreement, the company offered Is.-an-hour increase to be paid in three stages of 4d. an hour over three years; all female employees to get 9d. an hour in three 3d.-an-hour stages, a further 3d. an hour to be paid to seven grades on the implementation of the agreement.

A further clause includes:

'The principle of "equal pay for equal work" will be adopted throughout the term of this agreement.' It goes on to propose that the rates of pay for females be brought up to the full male rate in three stages. Exactly on what basis equal pay is proposed is made clear as follows:

'The full application of "equal pay for equal work"

for female employees is dependent upon the acceptVol. 12, No. 608 November 30, 1968 Price Bd. lobbi of the AEF for the All Trades (inions full claim. Equal pas. No stringe lARO'R'S nar nentare loft i at Mon ance by females of the same overtime and night - shift arrangements applying to male employees. It is recognized by the company that in order for this to be implemented special dispensation from the factory inspectorate will need to be obtained.' Equal pay Many of the proposals now coming forward for "equal pay' drive right through the provisions of the Factories Acts which regulate the working of women and young people.

While it is possible for employers to get special dispensation to make exceptions to these rules, it may well be that the government is actually proposing a change in the law in the name of 'equal work'.

The labour movement has always fought to protect certain sections of the working class, in particular, women and young people from strenuous work, from long hours of working and from night-work.

The argument being put now by the employers is that working conditions are different from the time when these Factory Acts were introduced.

While it is true that hours may be somewhat shorter, in fact, the intensity of working is probably far higher than it has ever been and far more protection and far more stringent laws protecting workers at work are needed.

The proposals also put forward an annual holiday bonus.

'In order to recognize the high standard of attendance and time-keeping expected from employees it is proposed that a bonus of 15s.

a week be paid to all adult employees who meet the required standard.' Bonus This bonus, to be paid in a the sual play duse before Jumo sun is tied to the attendance and time-keeping strings in the following way:

'Any employee losing any time whatever during the week through sickness, whether qualified by medical certification or not, through unauthorized absenteeism or lateness or through authorized leave of absence, would forfeit the bonus for that Also 'Any stoppage or partial stoppage of work 'go-slow' 'work-to-rule' orany other form of industrial action by an individual group or section or a department would forfeit the bonus for all employees, day and night-shift for that particular week.

This proposal might better have come under the heading PAGES TWO Political Revolution WEEK AND THREE in Czechoslovakia END The price of centrism A miner Money crisis warns continues engineers by Peter Jeffries ! IHE EN NEERS are about Bonn daces - brings the entite malist mong By i ran Lavery DE GAULIE'S refusal to desalue the franc in lin i-d lamma all ailme •disciplinary procedure' rather than under its 'annual holiday bonus'.

The other disciplinary procedures that the company requires consist of a series of formal warnings for any 'form of misconduct'. These can lead to dismissal after four warnings.

Also required by the management is a procedure for processing disputes and it is written in that no stoppage of work or go-slow shall take place while procedure is being carried through.

Guide-line This agreement follows the guide-lines laid down by the government through the Prices and Incomes Board. Whatever slight advantages in wages may be paid at first, the long-term aim of this type of deal is always to get more work from fewer workers, whatever managements may say, or whatever 'guarantees' are given for no redundancies or no sackings.

It is a fact that the basic aim is always a reduction in the size of the labour force.

Sometimes managements claim that their aims go no further than getting more work from the same number of workers, but in every case a combination of modern methods and introduction of modern machinery leads to cuts in manning.

That such modernization is planned is noted earlier on in the proposals. Clause 3 section one, states that also required "The unimpeded operation of new or modined plants, equipment and tooling and operation methods designed to increase efficiency or productivity in the manufacture of the company's products, or in any ancillary activity.

It is important to understand that these proposals are not just a question of demands by the employers.

Managements would never have got as far as recommending this type of exploitation were it not for the sell-out by engineering union leaders last December, when rather than utilize the strength of three million engineering workers who were prepared to strike for a basic wage increase without strings, Scanlon and the AEF leadership, agreed to the productivity strings demanded by the engineering employers.

Sell-out This action, described in 'The Newsletter' at the time as the greatest sell-out since 1926, gave the government and the employers a new lease of life in their struggle to save themselves from the everdeveloping crisis.

Employers were then able to bring out new productivity proposals based on the measures the union leaders had declared acceptable. Much of the wording in these Otis proposals reads similar to the December agreement (1968).

Otis point out on their first page:

*The National Agreement negotiated between the Engineering Employers' Federation and the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions, dated December 1968, clearly quotes the unions' and the federations' unreserved agreement "that there is an urgent and continuing necessity in the interests of those employed by the engineering industry and of the community as whole, for the productive resources and manpower of the industry to be deployed and used more efficiently".

"These new proposals conform to the provisions of that agreement...?

The Otis workers, along with all other engineering workers, must resist the attempts the government and the employers to solve the crisis of capitalism through the introduction of intensive exploitation on the shop fioor.

They must fight a battle, too, in their unions to clear out all leaders who refuse to fight the employers.

A major step in this struggle can be carried out by building up the circulation of the Workers' Press and through this, developing the All Trades Unions Alliance to provide a real socialist alternative in the trade unions.

1969 3E