It's that time of the year... The next issue of Socialist Challenge will be published on Thursday, 3 January. Don't hangover — hang on! LIVERPOOL council rejected by a five-vote Labour move for a council take-over occupied Meccano factory. Liberal and Tory councillors united tomotion put Hatton.
Hatton explained: has to show absolute solidarity with the Meccano workers and ensure that they're kept in a job... so we're asking for the factory to be municipalised.' immediate alm Meccano workers is to get the parentcompany, Airfix, to agree to 90 days' working notice during which they can find an a Lemanye closure redundancy. So far Airfix has offered pay condition that the occupation ends.
co-operative, week forcing Airfix to keep the majority a ореп are being Meccano solutions. fight by Derek is not realistic. "The council with a fight by seriously challenge the Tories.
Мессало. of the Merseyside is councillors indicates.
on municipalisation, or factory discussed by ine answer? possible Meccano workers alone to reverse Tory policy Only by linking up Steel and Their British Leyland workers could they But there is a way to defend jobs at The labour movement on totally the occupation, as the move by Labour recore A united campaign by the labour movement could force the council to take over the factory. A first step in a campaign would be a local conference of the labour movement to organise with Meccano.
Would a council take-over be the Meccano workers have a fight on their hands with any new management.
They have already taken the first steps in a fight for workers control.
occupation has put movement of stocks and machinery control. occupying workers have Meccano's books and discovered repayments made by Meccano on a £2 million loan from Airfix -of Meccano received the loan.
All 940 jobs at the factory be preserved. If demand falls and there is less work then work-sharing with no loss of pay is the answer.
Many new way to prevent deals which are against would the interests of the workers, and the latter should machinery is removed without the workforce.
would not please Margaret Thatcher, The but it could be carried out if it is fully opened supported by the movement.
The removal but no government and its replacement with having ¿ Labour government committed to the full nationalisation should compensation of all bankrupt firms is probably the only way the jobs of the Мессяпо workers could be defended management could be the reach ensure that no or installed agreement of the fiver.
• boost.
A take-over by Liverpool council Pat Stillman Cardiff IMG local labour N. Long Oxford IMG of the Tory K. Martin Teesside SC without E. Mahood Anon •V. Coultas Week's total TWO WEEKS left before the end of the year and we still need anothe make our target! This week's total of £473.24 was boosted by the £325.74 raised at the Socialist Challenge Xmas Party last weekend IMG branches Xmas socials and raffles bring another £500 each week we might still Individual supporters too should spare us a thought over Xmas and dror Let's send Socialist Challenge into the '80s with a massive financia Our thanks this week to:
£10 2.50 Wandsworth NUT member £473.21 OVERALL TOTAL £1,448.75 Socialist Challenge 20 December 1979 Page 3