It has become clear why Linamar management sacked Swansea Unite Convenor Rob Williams on Wednesday. Group President Brian Wade outlined to Tony Woodley the Company’s ‘proposal’ to lower terms and conditions within the plant.
This will involve ‘buying down’(worsening) contracts with a one off ‘sweetener’ payment. There is no detail of amounts yet but it is clear that it will involve a substantial drop in wages, worse sick scheme etc. Also, the Company announced that they fully intend breaking the agreement that they made with the union when they took the factory over last July of establishing a final salary pension scheme for those Ford-mirrored workers who were in the plant before Visteon spin-off in 2000 and the Visteon New Hire contracts who were subsequently employed later. He pretended to be concerned about the lack of a pension for the lowest tier in the plant – yet Linamar refused the union’s call for them to get a pension last summer!
Therefore, the timing of Rob’s sacking is of no surprise. It comes a week after
140 workers were made voluntarily redundant, including a number of senior
stewards and before the pay deals are concluded for two of the three
contracts. Incidentally, one of the last straws could well have been when the
Ford-mirrored members refused Wade’s ‘offer’ to refuse the 5.25% Ford pay rise.
This has always been seen in the Plant as the yardstick for all contract
negotiations.
Clearly, Linamar correctly had no confidence that Rob would recommend these
attacks to the members. Now the choice for Swansea workers is clear – fight
the sacking of Rob and defend their terms and conditions and pensions and their
right to work in a place free of intimidation or face a future of attack after
attack. In Canada before Christmas all but one Linamar Plant had their pay cut
by 10% by email!! The only plant that didn’t suffer this was unionised. Sooner
or later, bullies like Wade and Linamar will be confronted by a workforce,
tired of being pushed around and walked over. It will inevitably happen, in
Canada, China or Swansea. With its great fighting traditions, Swansea workers
could be in the forefront of defending their rights.
Continue to phone protests to:
Head of Swansea Linamar Brian Wade 01792 656339
Personnel Manager 01792 656238
Messages of protest to linda.hasenfratz@linamar.com
Messages of support to Rob Williams: robbo@redwills.freeserve.co.uk
and Socialist Party Wales: socialistpartywales@
Unite General Secretary Tony Woodley will be addressing the workforce next week
to push for a Yes vote in the impending strike ballot. Swansea Trade Union
Council and the Linamar Shop Stewards Committee will be holding a public
meeting at 7.30pm in the Dolphin Hotel in Swansea next Wednesday open to all
trade unionists – “Defend trade union freedom – defend Rob Williams – support
the Linamar workers!”
Rally to support Rob next Wednesday
13 May at 7.30 pm in the Dolphin Hotel,
Swansea. Speakers include Frank Jepson (Convenor at Visteon Basildon) and Kevin
Nolan (Convenor at Visteon Enfield).
All trade unionists welcome
2 Comments
Well I think it is disgusting the way they have treated Rob. He was only carrying out his trade union duties on behalf of his members.The Victimization of him is disgusting Tony Woodley should be Shouting at Gordon Brown you have had 13 Million of our Members money and if Rob is reinstated you will not have a penny more of our trade union ever again
[...] eight days, until Linimar upheld the decision to illegally sack him anyway. Understandably, the workforce at Linimar, his comrades in the Socialist Party, Unite, and No2EU, and workers the length and breadth of the UK, are furious at the treatment Rob has received. On [...]