The Linwood disaster | IMGpapers 1980

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WORKERS at Talbot's Linwood plant last week rejected their Joint Shop Committee (JSCC) recommendation to occupy the plant to prevent its closure. The factory will now close by the end of May with all 4,800 workers made redundant. was instructed to seek the best redundancy conditions from the company.

It is estimated that the total redundancies caused by the closure will rise to about 10,000 — in an area unemployment already stands at 25 per Celil " as well demoralising effects on other Scottish workers fighting to save their jobs.

the wake disaster the union leadership has been quick blame the workforce rather than own policies for this decision.

Jimmy vuge or une scol tish TUC explained that it was 'the fact that the government and a large section of the media believed there was no possibility of forcing the company to reverse lts decision .

Milne's remarks SULT up. the approach OI Ine union leaders throughout they have opposed any action in tavour of an attempt to mobilise "Scottisn public opinion' against the French-owned Stewards' The JSCC company's closure plans.

Immediately after the closure announcement the shop stewards' committee leaders defeated a motion оссиру against the redundancies. Instead they decided to show how profitable and effecient the plant could be by accepting the company's plans to run the plant 'flat out' for three months.

Point Jimmy Livingstone, the TGWU convenor, bragged openly: intend to work normally. We'll show LOCu wild throughput is. No one is going to point the finger at us. No one is going to say that we are the wreckers.

The second mass mecung showca le cucci of this bankrupt strategy over 30 ner cent of th workers voted to accept the closure.

Only at the eleventh NUT SWA hour did the shop stewards change their approach and Cano an occuoaton. then it was too late. The seeds of disaster had beer sown long before. The onway to have saved the Linwood jobs was by mobilising the entire workers' movement in struggle nationalisaLoll linked to a movemen to kick out the Tories. Hammersmith & Fulham 55.1 53.6