THE workers hydraulic motors plant in Leyton, East London against redundancy, documents proving conclusively that managemanipulation to fool the workforce into accepting redundancy without a struggle.
The company used industrial consultants HAY Communications Ltd prepare a detailed plan of campaign to get production transferred to the company's plant Plymouth with the loss of at least 350 jobs.
The plan involved:
• Lying to the workers about the number of jobs that would be lost.
• Keeping the move reaction.
• Deliberately giving the impression lo worker that they would be kept Ull. when was coltalll they would be sacked.
• Giving misinformanon to une press, television unions and the local coun cil about the company's intentions.
CULLtingency for workers' response up to and including an occupaLull.
• Co-ordinating their lies with a strict control of statements malacchical elaborately worked out scripts for press statement, interviews and meetings wu use worker. arios for how toaded detailed with a hostile from any section of the community.
But the best laid plans 20 WIng. Statta are now faced with an occupation and a full revelation of the Published by anina Enterpith he occupying the Staffa have discovered ment planned a cynical campaign of lies and cynical and manipulatory attitude their own workforce.
Their plan from HAY Communications COSL them £10,000.
makes reading for every worker because wed exactly how the posses consciously prepare CLO fool workers and the media to get their plans through.
HAY Communications told the 'All tions should be tightly coordinated so that the same basic (sic) story is told to everyone; and meticulousshould know the employees there is any risk of a 'leak back', this would destroy your ability to control the situation'.
A glaring example of the cynicism of the bosses and their ConsultauL given in the following excerpt from a script which shows how to deal with an awkward question - wnly did it take so long to tell Loe workforce of the closure?
'a. Everyone knew weeks ago have asked for informawhy have we hung on so long and how can we be credible now?' knew because the final decision had been London N1 Although Staffa had studied and recommender what should happen it had still to be agreed by Brown and Sharpe and planning permission has still to be grantea.
"Obviously we couldn't tell anvone betore the fina decision how strong the rumours were.
Every part of this scripted reov is a le. he final decision had already been made and planning permission acquired months before the announcement.
Other scripted replies and scenarios dealt everv aspect of how to tool the workers, the press and even MPs.
One part of the script which was not written was plan itself was discovered!
Was Leyton MP lined up by bosses!
documents of that their local MP, Bryan M80e0 who Denis Healey in the recen' deputy Heatersi• elec HAY's scripts, under a lue nes ouse lu various threats reads: stop to this MP will put a Answer: that LIE local mrevious vinoicated an un willingness to become in management decisions such redunbe propriate.' It seems that this is word for word Magee did reply Jocanadour movelicul de Tivists should investoate. By Toni Gorton Steve Longshawe of LSE (Second from left) at the Staffa works Challenge