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From Militant, No. 569, 18 September 1981, p. 14.
Transcribed by Iain Dalton.
Marked up by Einde O’Callaghan for the Encyclopaedia of Trotskyism On-Line (ETOL).
An important victory has been won in the fight against redundancy by workers at Renold Fluid Power in Bradford.
Following recent re-organisation it was obviously decided by the top management that the recession could be used to implement a cost cutting exercise. When the workers at Bradford exhausted procedure in pursuance of their wage claim, they were faced with a demand for 35 redundancies.
The decision of the workforce was to occupy the plant. The dispute was made official by the AUEW district committee, and support was canvassed from the joint site committee and the Renold combine committee.
Support was promised from outside factories and the appeal sheets were just about to be distributed when management caved in and offered an improved pay offer of between 7 and 9%.
This is the first victory against a company which has low wages, a Victorian outlook and extensive overseas outlets. Already, following the recent one-hour strike in support of Croft Gears wage claim, the company has hinted at shifting jobs abroad. Favourite must be the South African subsidiary of Renold, where unions are banned and wages on the poverty line.
But this victory has demonstrated that once the workers take possession of the machines on which the wealth is created, with support of the workforce and the labour movement, the bosses are helpless.
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Last updated: 24 September 2016