to the government's pay norm.
ignored.
But Socialist Challenge apply to staff workers at Ford.
A month ago Ford management and the unions represent-ing stall memoers signca a ten point agreement -ICH nology.
A clause in the agreement stated that improved efficiency would reflected company's offer in the new round of wage negotiations. In other words, a straight simple productivity deal.
The unions involved are on the Joint Staff National UNION LEADERS involved in the Ford strike have publicly stated that there will be no talks in the dispute until management agree to negotiate without reference By this they mean they will not enter into talks on productivity until, but only until, the 5 per cent law is can reveal that union leaders have already reached agreement in principle with Ford on one aspect of productivity - how it will Negotiating Committee. These white-collar unions include the TASS section of the Engineerthe ing Union, tech- ACTSS seculon Transport Union.
JOBLOSS the The agreement these unions have signed reveals the nature and productivity deals massive job loss reduction in the working week.
At first sight the proposals alternative but to cut capacity by at least 400,000 units', at the same time 'overmanning in the British car drawing by age'.
Such new technology could Drovision lor if used correctly, benefit the entire Ford workforce. But the machinery by the unions envisages few benefits In short, It is true that there is a no . benefit clause' the but week. нога agreement on 'natural . Similarly, while there is retraining and upgrading of staff on the new , there is to be no 1972. reduction in the working week.
the tech- and nology will be of no lasting to the unions concerned. Eventually 50 to 60 per centofstaff jobswillgo.
cent: case. Certainly not If applied correctly, technology can be of immense benefit to working people. It can emmate borne. cocuuve work, it can cut the working But this is the unions at Ford have fought for Instead they have agreed to a productivity deal which will amount to a massive reduction available jobs; and inevitably - more profits for Ford Motor Company.
Productivity Kills 'EVERY day in the US 65 carworkers drop dead at their jobs on COOR reports the CIS Anti Report on *On average some 16,000 of them die in the plants every year, of whom half have had heart attacks.
"These figures do not include the results of accidents at work on these lines. Added to which are the 63,000 workers with diseases 1,700,000 with lost or impaired hearing..
•In May 1972, a worker at a Ford engine plant in Ohio fell death through root. He was the fourth worker killed at tha plant during the first half of The US Occupation, Safety Health ruled that the company was at fault in three of the four deaths Ford was fined $200 for the fourth worker's death.' justification for a rise over 5 per *Financial indicators, such as added value of profits, or intermediate indicators are not an acceptable basis for a