Charles Brown
Thu, 06 Apr 2000 10:56:48 -0700
What's up ?! CB )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))0 OVER 100,000 MARCH IN BIRMINGHAM - DEFEND ROVER JOBS! NATIONALISATION NOW! FOR A WORKERS RESCUE PLAN! Saturday's demonstration in support of the Rover workers in Birmingham was a massive show of strength not seen since October 1992. The size of the demonstration, numbering over 100,000, was the biggest demo Birmingham has seen since the 1970s. It was a throughly working class demonstration, as wave after wave of protesters with their trade union banners represented a brilliant show of class solidarity. If transport had been laid on by the unions in every area, the turn-out would have been three or four times as much. There is a mood across the country against the growing job losses, as news breaks of more redundancies across the manufacturing sector. It is time for action on behalf of the Labour movement. The mood on the Birmingham demonstration was defiant and shows the possibilities for class action to protect jobs. Unfortunately, the trade union leaders who spoke did not offer any way forward. Their whole approach was the defence of BRITISH manufacturing industry, where the interests of the workers and bosses were the same. As opposed to the German BMW bosses, who had no interest in British jobs, British bosses would be more patriotic! In the words of Bill Morris of the TGWU, "For us, the initials BMW must mean British manufacturing workers." Such a remark goes against the solidarity shown for the Rover workers by many trade unionists accross Europe, including Germany. One German car worker, Hans Koebrick, who had travelled from Berlin to attend the march was quoted in the Morning Star (3/4/00) as follows: "I want to show my support for Longbridge. I could be involved in the next crisis." Tony Woodley, the TGWU national motor secretary, went so far as to say it was a fight to reduced the number of redundancies, as if there was an acceptable figure! Sir Ken Jackson of the AEEU has called for a boycott of BMW. Well, it may be news for Jackson, but most workers have been boycotting BMW, as well as Ferrari and Porche for years!!! Now he wants James Bond to Buy British! Such a strategy would simply pit British workers against foreign workers. Our task must be to build unity of the working class across national boundaries. That is the only way to beat the multinationals. The crisis in the car industry deepened on the weekend as Honda announced that it was halving vehicle production for the next two months at its Swindon plant. At the same time, there is deep anxiety of the future of the Ford plant in Dagenham as the Ford bosses look for reductions in capacity. Despite the show of strength and feeling, the workers were scandalously snubbed by Tony Blair. The day after the demonstration, he ruled out any government intervention to save the threatened jobs. The Labour government would not mount a rescue operation but oversee its "transition". Blair went on: "governments in the past, of both major political parties, have been drawn towards rescuing a company in difficulties. "We see our role now as helping to equipe people and business for the new economy - as encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship." The government has offered £152 million in aid to BMW, while the plant's closure would mean £500 million to state benefits to those made redundant. Far better if Rover was nationalised and run by the workers. If rationally planned, with job diversification, and integrated into a publically owned car industry these jobs could be saved. It is time the Labour government got off its knees! A one day strike across the Rover combine linked to a mass lobby of Parliament can served to build up the pressure to forced the Labour government to take immediate action to save the 60,000 jobs that are now under threat. It shows that the battle has to be taken into the Labour Party against the pro-capitalist policies of the Blair government. Only a socialist programme involving the nationalisation of the big monopolies, banks and insurance companies can the economy be planned in the interests of the working class and not the prfits of millionaire parasites. Rob Sewell 3rd April 2000 Socialist Appeal PO Box 2626 London N1 7SQ [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.socialist.net http://www.marxist.com --- from list [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---