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From The Socialist newspaper, 16 January 2019
Unions must fight and demand nationalisation to save thousands of car industry jobs
photo Mike Mozart (Creative Commons) (Click to enlarge)
Rob Williams, Socialist Party national industrial organiser and former Visteon (ex-Ford) Unite union convenor
Ford workers in Bridgend, along with their families, are trying to come to terms with the announcement that over 1,000 workers will lose their jobs over the next two years, with the first 370 to go as early as this spring.
This comes at the same time as 4,500 Jaguar Land Rover jobs are on the line in the West Midlands and Merseyside.
In reality, this is Ford issuing notice of the engine plant winding down. The prospect of only around 500 workers being needed by 2021 raises whether the plant will be viable at all.
In Bridgend, there are workers who have transferred from plants closed by Ford over the last two decades in Treforest, Swansea and Southampton. They know full well that Ford often offers 'attractive' voluntary redundancy programmes to shed hundreds of jobs, reducing the workforce to a level where resistance appears futile.
This is why the unions must act now and put forward a fighting strategy that can convince workers that it's possible to fight and win.
It is vital that it is a national strategy involving all Ford UK workers - because another plant closure will make it easier for Ford to close all its remaining UK operations. This is particularly because of the size of the pension deficit.
Militant action to fight for a political solution is required. This is particularly necessary because the unions balloted workers 18 months ago when they first discovered Ford's plans for the plant. But the lack of action called subsequently can lead to a feeling of scepticism.
Plant meetings should be immediately called to reject Ford's plans. There should be preparations to ballot members for industrial action.
An immediate walkout or refusal to go back to work would send a strong signal to Ford that the workers are serious and would raise workers' confidence.
The car industry trade unions should draw up plans for a nationwide campaign of all car workers under threat, including Jaguar Land Rover.
The unions should demand that the Labour-led Welsh Government, with new first minister Mark Drakeford, nationalise the plant to save jobs.
They should also demand from Jeremy Corbyn that a government led by him would promise to nationalise any car plant threatening job cuts, including Ford and Jaguar Land Rover, and establish a national plan for the car industry.
With the Tories hanging by a thread in Westminster, this could raise the sights of workers and pile on the pressure. But action is needed now.
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In The Socialist 16 January 2019:
What we think
May facing Brexit vote catastrophe
Socialist Party news and analysis
After Grenfell, thousands still in high-rise firetrap blocks
Universal Credit: robbing the working class
30% of English secondaries in deficit
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
A key task - strengthen Tamil Solidarity campaign
Council cuts
Glasgow: huge turnout to fight closure of Whitehill pool
Surrey: save our children's centres
Caerphilly: right-wing Islwyn Labour councillors fight to impose cuts
Nothing to declare? Dodgy councillors hide vested interests
North Tyneside: march to save our footbridge
Socialist history
The 1979 'Winter of Discontent'
International socialist news and analysis
USA: federal workers without pay - but immediate mass action can end shutdown
India: biggest general strike ever
France: union-led action and assemblies can defeat Macron
Mexico: police silence on horrific attack on CWI member
Workplace news and analysis
Unions must fight and demand nationalisation to save thousands of car industry jobs
Hundreds join Manc RMT picket line in solidarity after far-right attack
UCU: Vote Yes and Yes in the higher education pay and equality ballot
Opinion
Sorry to Bother You: "Socialist film Botox that made me feel young again"
Brexit: The Uncivil War - an interesting but inaccurate portrayal of EU referendum
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