the Ford (UK] Workers Combine. an attack which has the full backing of leading The occasion was the decision of Hackney Trades Council to collaborate with the Combine in calling a public meeting on *The Ford Strike and the battle the pay controls'.
At last week's shop stewards committee meetings at Dagenham and Langley, Ford strike leaders said that the 'combine" was designed confuse the trade unionists into believing that the group was the national shop stewards They also alleged that the group was raising money for the Ford strikers and pocketing NEWS SHEETS At the Halewood plant, the attacks have gone further. Combine members and supporICIS distributing news-sheets have come Divsical intimidation and threats of violence.
CP members have opposed this heavy-handedwhich isn't altogether 1C33, surprising since there are party members involved Combine. Several CP members defended the Combine at the Langley stewards meeting.
The concern of the Communist Party leadership discredit the Combine is not unrelated to the need to cover its own failings. CEnTOUCHOU the Ford strike, the CP talked very left' but has failed to produce the goods.
Ford chief steward matraway. tor example. was quoted in the Morning Star on saying that the Ford Strike Committee would launch a massive campaign of solidarity, including hundreds of factories and trade union branches But when this came up at the shop stewards committee it was Socialist Challenge 26 October 1978 page 4 FORD STRIKE leaders have | in the form of a proposal that the stewards would simply invitations from ICSDONG LO union branches and stewards CUTTILLCO Moreover, the CP completely failed to build an initiative of its own, the 'day of action' on 11 which was through the No. 8 District of the Confederation building ana Unions.
Fewer than four turned up; half of them from name MOTO There to hundred stewards at Dagenham The rally attracted less than 250 people, and cost the strike fund £400.
The most apparent way building strike crippling the pay norms, linking up with others demanding more than 5 percent, seems have occurred the strike committee.
There have been no visits to factories like British Oxygen Vauxhall, or to the service workers who now have claims in.
But the campaign to discredit the Combine has back-fired. A specific allegation made at the shop stewards meeting that a Combine member had attended meeting at Rolls Royce Bristol and pocketed the cash has been exposed as a lie.
DISTRIBUTION The member concerned has a receipt from the official strike fund indicating that he'd paid over the donations -MEIN SUCIl has organised by Combine speakers.
An attempt to have the Sid Hackney Trades meeting called off was rejected by seven votes to four by the council's executive committee.
And to ensure that there is no confusion, the Combine deci•visiting ded to change its name to the Ford (UK) Workers Group.
The group is still in desperate need of funds. Rush them to: 2 Dearmer House, London SW2.