When building worker Tony Morley joined Haringey Council's model participation scheme PELAW ('Partnership Experiment in Local Authority Work), he became involved in a move by the workforce to make their "participation' real instead of illusory. They started to put forward requests to the mangement BEne redirection of labour, for example - and they began to make suggestions about the day-to-day decision-making, like which machinery to buy and which to hire. The management reacted in the only way they knew how: It's impractical; it can't be done.
The management then tried to avoid further confrontation with the oldest trick on the book: divide and rule. They split PELAW into two units, the 'good workers' and the agitators. Once they were isolated, it was an easy task to control the militants. Sabotage of their work proceeded apace; their materials were often held up. or ever wrongly ordered.
All the new work went to Unit 2. A document appeared ominously entitled 'Examples of non-cooperation by members of Unit 1.'. Unit 1 was being run down deliberately. The workers in Unit 1 denied responsibility for any losses. They demanded an independent audit to open the books, but were refused. Grateful?
"Left' Labour Councillor Eric Smith was one of the instigators of the scheme. His philosophy is summed up by Colin Patient, a former worker in Unit 1; 'He thinks we should all be grateful for PELAW. He thinks we're getting out of our station demanding this, demanding that.?
Eric Smith won't hear anv criticism of his "baby', PELAW. At a recent meeting against the cuts, he spoke lengthily about the crisis of international capitalism but refused to allow any discussion of the way PELAW is being used to cover up the cuts.
The ideology of 'participation' has been used in PELAW to undermine the indep endent strength of the trade union. Words IKe He olenge une realo breakdown in job demarcation which enables the management to double production without doubling the workforce. Bonuses and overtime have been abolished, causing an effective wage cut of about f28 a week Agreements with the union, UCATT, to employ only union labour (preferably unemployed men from the branches) have been broken time and time again. Tony Morley, who became shop steward for Unit 1, has been framed with a trumped-up Iraud charge, and sackea, anomer steward and the convenor have been bought off with a rise in status to that of chargehand and foreman, respectively. Usual management tactics. But not what you'd expect of a management wich included workers!
Lump squads There are plans to expand PELAW to encompass the entire direct labour force of haringey, ine scneme may also sorcad LO other boroughs. If other workers are tempted to join such schemes, as Tony and Colin were, by promises of 'participation, they should be warned by this example. Participation without control is simply a means of emasculating the union and incorporating workers into their system of management.
More insidiously, the Council is using PELAW as a way to avoid providing work on Council projects for its direct labour force in a situation of cutbacks. Under the guise of participation, it is turning its direct labour into lump squads which can compete with private contractors for outside work.
happen.
UCATT's regional office is now supposed to be holding an enquiry into the PELAW situation, but the former members of Unit 1 - which has now been disbanded - are coodsue aoour cue results, as tne seems nappening closed doors. They are fighting for a full trade union movement IntO PELAW, plus reinstatement to PELAW for all the Unit 1 workers. These demands should be backed to the hilt by both the union and the direct labour force, whose owroos and corditors or work mlay soor be at stake.
Sue Aspinall