Eight thousand workers at Ford's Dagenham have been laid off indefinitely. This move by management is an attempt to smash the strike by doorhangers, setters and welders in the Body Plant who are refusing to operate new manning schedules viving micreases or up to su per cent in However, the capitulation of the Communist Party and left Labour leaders of the unions in the plant has allowed the initiative to pass back to the management. Senior stewards got the occupation of the Body Plant called off after two days as soon as the management agreed to talk about the new manning levels.
But nothing new was offered to the strikers at their meeting on 6 May. In fact management have used the lay-off to "lose all the production they wanted to cut in May through short-time working. They have now informed all the men that the lay-off agreement has been lifted.
While the occupation was on, the Knock Down' section-in which parts are boxed up for assembly overseas-had been closed off. Drivers refused to take lorries through the barricades built by the occupying workers. Similarly no wheels could be moved out-something which would have rapidly brought Ford's to a halt nationally.
Under the control of a democratically elected occupation committee, the occupation could have become the focal point of national opposition to Ford's speed-up and lay-off plans, laying the basis for a unified fight around a common set of demands. As it is, the initiative now lies with the management who can decide when to recall the men.
red weekly 15 may 1975