CAR WORKERS HIT BACK | IMGpapers 1968

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Over two thousand workers are now on strike at the giant Rubery Owen car components facBory at Darleston, and its subsidiary at Kingshill.

The dispute started last July when the AUEWTWGU negotiating committee submitted a wage claim. Since then nine different schemes have been negotiated over without success, but the management have now submitted their own scheme over the heads of the negotiating committee via a letter to all workers. The essence of the management's proposal is that the workens on day work (a small minority) can have an increase provided that those on piece-work apte to limitations on piece work. The net result of this would be that piece workers would, in the vast majority of cases, suffer a One worker told Red Mole reporters that if the scheme were implemented his weekly wage packet would go down by £13. Since the management want their scheme to last for two years, the work-force would be re-negotiating in two years time from a considerably worsened position. In other words, if the management are allowed to get away with theirscheme From PHIL HEARSE wages at the lactory - which dominates the small town of Darleston - will suffer a longterm depression. It is this which accounts for the workers absolute determination to resist the scheme. As one picket put it: "We have just got to win this one".

CLEVER GAME The company, however, are playing a very clever game. By offering a direct increase to the small minority of dayworkers, they hope to split them from the piece-workers. When, tne company's letter went out, two thousand workers stopped work and held a massive demonstration outside the main offices on 2 April, an event which got virtually no publicity. However, when four days later a small number of dayworkers demonstrated in favour of the manage ment's offer it merited both local television coverage and headline news in the local, ultra-reactionary, Wolverhampton Express ana slar.

But the vast majority of workers are unimpressed by such anties, and only a small minority of even the dayworkers are still working. The negotiating committee has replied to the