We learned recently that Corus (ex-British Steel)
and other “free market, risk-taking” manufacturers have begged Brown for
taxpayers’ money to bail these profiteers out. As the “Scunthorpe Telegraph” reported, Corus`
conglomerate Tata announced profits of £2.47bn in 6 months to September – up
144%. Meanwhile steel production cuts of 20% were increased to 30% in November.
Corus-Tata`s hypocrisy might be thought insufferable.
Following national cuts
in overtime and bonuses, and contractors` redundancies, contractors` 10% pay
cuts in S. Wales were railroaded through by union leaders with “vote yes or
it`s your jobs” after a 2:1 vote, – thus trumping even the bosses` and New
Labour cynicism. Following free market logic, we can all work for Tata`s home-Indian
level wages “to save jobs and plants!” Bosses wherever they live are no
different to U.K. ones when profit is concerned.
In Scunthorpe, with 4,500
Tata and 2,800 direct contracting jobs (800 are organised by the GMB, the majority
are in the trade union Community), Tata wasted thousands on cinema propaganda
speeches, seeking €50m “savings” to March (now rumoured to be 100m Euros), yet
steel analysts M.A.P.S. see no improvement till June. In recession, companies
blame utilities, rivals, suppliers` costs etc. This shows the need for wholesale
nationalisations in order for planning to be organised.
Tata also passed begging
bowls to the European Union, for their Dutch Ijmuiden plant – more than 4,000
directly employed. They hope to divide and rule union FNV, getting Tata workers
to do contractors` work by sacking 700 of the latter, and enforcing 6 week holidays.
There, when output drops 30% in 2 months, Tata begs the state & EU to pay 200M€,
70% of wages; Tata offers 30% (for 6-24 weeks downtime “re-skilling,” etc. – for
what, we`re not told). Unfortunately for the EU and pathetic, writhing Labour “steel”
M.P.s., Thatcher stopped the U.K. levy for this. Brazen Tata still expect free-market
Mandelson and EU to cough up, INCLUDING now for their Landrover-Jaguar plant (15,000
jobs, having sacked 850 in Nov.).
On December 11, Corus
and union tops talked; after all, after the union leaders´ Welsh sell-out, and
doing nothing over recent Corus` sackings of 500 distributors, and many
contractors, why not sell-out 25,000 Corus employees and contractors nationally?
The union leaders thought they could get away with it. However, following local
reps´ consultations, leaders were forced to reject a floated “temporary” 10%
wage cut – quoted as a done deal in previous day`s “Financial Times.” This
proposed wage cut was loosely based on the S. Wales` stitch-up.
On 19-20 December
Corus were trying to impose local 15 day-month shifts (down from 21)
“temporarily,” for 1,000 workers, with shift premium losses of 11.5%, and
threats of unspecified lay-offs on 50% pay. Community General Secretary Leahy`s
complaint was that they should spread the pain broader! In the meantime Tata
also announced sponsorship of Ferrari F1 – that doesn’t come cheap!
Letters to the “Scunthorpe
Telegraph” here talk of taking “preference shares” in troubled firms but what
use are ANY shares, with most shares falling 30-50% globally in 2008? A Socialist
Appeal supporter`s letter countered with the demand for nationalisation, and
union fightback as outlined below
·
Not a
single redundancy or pay cut in Corus-Tata, or any industry! All account books
to be public.
·
For a 32 hour
week with no loss in pay.
·
Nationalise
all failing companies, utilities and finance, with compensation only in proven
need! For a worker-controlled Corus-Tata, utilities and key manufacturers
·
A rank and
file, militant fight back for accountability in Community, GMB, Unite and all
unions, and for Labour MPs.
