3y Steve Jenkins and Paul Moran COWLEY WORKERS have been BL agreement -large minority of the traditionally together with speed up ybal, rights.
week however they started to fight back. On Monday 1 November a worker on the Rover Ambassador line was accused by the plant director of denting a car. There were no witnesses and the evidence flimsy Was circumstantial. The worker W OL abused and threatened with the sack all this representation by the shop stewards (the right to see a steward is rarely granted at Cowley these days).
About 50 workers in his section stopped work and demanded apology. With no resumption of work by Wednesday evening management agreed to a mass meeting votea to strike in definitely.
The day shift followed suit, and nOtOR Was passed calling the Raindi Textiles AT RAINDI TEXTILES in the Smethwick back STACA similar 'businesses' the West Midlands, Asian workers long hours for appalingly low wages.
But when the workforce joined Transpor UlIUl viln tnelr tellow employees ai through a depressing time over the last couple of years On top of the forcing through of the two-year despite the opposition of a militant and a steady deterioration of working conditions and union Cowley leadership and full time ofticials to discuss the grievances, over working COROBOGS WILIL manageNUCiL i There is no doubt that MaCCuCnI HaKen aback by the strength of feeling exhibited the wo make concessie nor ed to make concessions. agreement was reached including a withdrawal of all ULUCCCUl against the WUIKCE alleged to have damaged the car. promise of no action against the workers who stopped work in his support.
Moreover there was an undertakıng management to discuss wayk industrial relations and for a further mass meeting for a report back of these discussions.
£36 a week - sacked for wanting a rise!
Supreme Quilting, HICIuCis WCIC sackee Ravinder Singh senior shop stewaro exoained 'We jointhe °7 wee s. Supreme Quilting for Then the union negotiator etter to Scill say wantee discuss wages and conditions sacked three of nzwallall, Michinacr ano bal JIl.
This agreement was put to the workers at mlass meclng on tne morn• ing Monday November. Many workers have no confidence in the undertakings of manageTheir crime was discussing unon busines, the pub atter work. Supreme Quilting workers walked spot and week late thomen and 50 men after a00 were the Raindi workers also joined the union.
"The first thing manageSalet did was to pur up a For sigil, exolalnce British Leyland workers, sold out on last pay claim but still fighting ment, return to work call was only narrowly passed after a recount.
However, by the afternoon Cowley was OuCC more at a standstill as the agorke and he sai worker. the estate said the for •VIL. the intend to sell. It was just bluff'.
This company trousers and coats Hlakc.
store and Spencers, and Lord Anthony They export to Denmark and lic ciotnes aren' cheap and the owners aren't
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Cowley workforce - the workers have had to cope with the sell out of their struggle last