Ford-UAW settlement provides no
solution to shop floor problems

By JIM BRIDGEWOOD

The Ford-UAW settlement in
the USA is much the.same as
previous settlements. The de-
mands by the workers on the shop
floor for shorter work week, im-
proved and safer working con-
ditions and the need for a substan-
tial wage increase right now was
completely overturned.

In its printed outline of the high-
lights of the new Ford agreement,
the union said the agreement on
shorter work time will ‘‘provide a
sound foundation for the 1979
negotiations.”’ It appears that the
union is trying to convince Ford
that more paid time off will in-
crease production and that this
will lay the groundwork for a new
contract in 1979.

This kind of collaboration be-
tween the company and the union
means that Ford will be allowed
to exercise harsher discipline for
absenteeism. The company in the
U.S. already has the right to sus-
pend workers without pay for up
to a month, including complete
dismissal for taking a day off
without permission.

In addition, workers who
choose to work on their day off
will be given an extra day’s pay,
thus the scheme in this sense will
promote increased overtime.

The thrust of this policy is to
put the onus on improved produc-
tivity entirely on the backs of the
workers. This completely ignores

the fact that it is excessive hours
and -harsh working conditions
which are at the root of high ab-
senteeism.

Ford-USA has already refused
to hire the extra 10% more full
time workers required to replace
those taking time off. Instead they
say they are going to schedule

. More overtime and employ more

temporary part-time employees
at lower pay.

These workers enjoy no fringe
benefits, and retain no seniority.
Experience shows they will be-
come full time ‘‘part-time’’ em-
ployees, who could end up work-
ing as many as 6 days a week.
This policy brings us back to the
1930’s when thousands stood at
plant gates begging for jobs.

Because of a peculiarity in
wording of the contract, two days
will be lost in the Christmas and
New Year holiday period this
year, two will be lost in 1977, and
one day in 1978.

In the past, this period has
meant 8-9 days off. But with
Christmas on a weekend, and the
agreement specifying that the’
company is only required to pro-
vide an uninterrupted Christmas
vacation, there will be a loss of
five days off. These will be can-
celled by the first five days of the
short work time negotiated this
year.

Another take-away
agreement is the 6¢ which will be

in. this’

withheld from the Cost of Living
Allowance (COLA) from June
1977 to Sept. 1978 at the rate of 1¢
per quarter in order to pay the
retired pensioners a bonus of $400
to $600.

Union actuaries have admitted
that the bonus will be funded
completely from the pockets of
the workers, while. Ford will not
have to contribute one cent.

The full COLA will resume in
December 1978, which means
that Ford will have control over
this substantial amount of money
for three whole months plus the
16 months from June ’77 to De-
cember ’78.

Another take-away will hit the
unemployed. Formerly when an
unemployed worker collected his
Supplementary ‘ Unemployment
Benefits (SUB), equivalent to
95% of his earnings after tax de-
ductions, there was also a $7.50
deduction from the SUB repre-
senting unexpended travel costs.
“In recognition of the impact of
inflation upon work related ex-
penses’’ Ford and UAW have
agreed to increase this deduction
from the SUB from $7.50 to
$12.50.

The wage increases are the
smallest since 1954, and average
out over the three year term of the
pact at about 55¢ an hour in-
crease.

The negotiated wage package
will mean a 3% ‘increase plus 9¢

Morris condemns apartheid

at UN Special Committee

NEW YORK — The president
of the Canadian Labor Congress,
Joe Morris speaking on behalf of
the Intemational Confedération
of Free Trade Unions of which he
is vice-president, called on the-
United Nations Nov. 1, to step up
its fight against the racist system
of apartheid in Southern Africa.

Morris spoke to the UN Special
Committee against apartheid urg-
ing it as part of a concerted effort
against the racist system, to im-
plement mandatory economic
sanctions; enforce an interna-
tional arms embargo against

South Africa; bring about the re- -

lease of all persons imprisoned or
restricted for their stand on apar-
theid and the repeal of all repres-
sive laws and regulations; stop
plans for the establishment of
bantustans; and promote repeal
of bans on the African National
Congress and other organizations
fighting apartheid.

The CLC president, went on to
describe some of the harsh condi-
tions inside South Africa. ‘‘Al-
ready 350 African people have
been killed, thousands arrested,
the majority ruthlessly oppressed
and continuously victimized’’ in
the past months, as a result of
their resistance to the govern-
ment’s apartheid legislation and
the inequities it brings about,
Morris said.

“South Africa is now at war.
Lives are being lost daily and to
the extent that we do not act, we
must accept responsibility for this
situation.

“... Apartheid is a crime
against humanity, a threat to
world stability and peace,’”’ he
said. ‘‘It is a whole network of
discriminatory laws which deny

human dignity to a majority of 20
million people bestowing
privilege on a minority of four
million and, of course yielding
super profits to vested interests.

“Thus if we condemn apar-
theid, we must also condemn th-
Ose investing in it; those directly
and indirectly helping to maintain
this rabid system.”

Morris pointed out that the gap
between white and black wages is
widening, that job reservation is
still rampant, that African work-
ers are discriminated against in
almost every field and that un-
employment among them has in-
creased to between 20 and 25%.

He also noted the continued
existence of the pass-law system
and blasted the so-called Bantus-
tan consolidation policy which
has uprooted thousands of Afri-
cans from their homes and either
placed them in ‘‘rehabilitation
camps’’ or transferred them to
even more arid areas. Morris
noted also that only 13% of the
land area is allocated to the major-
ity African population ‘‘who have

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—NOVEMBER 12, 1976—Page 8

“Morris condemned apartheld In South Africa.

been made migrants in their own
country.”

He said that the Brussels-based
ICFTU, representing 70 coun-
tries in the non-socialist world
had sponsored an emergency in-
ternational trade union confer-
ence in Brussels, Sept. 21, which
had decided to step up labor’s
struggle against apartheid. A
comprehensive plan of action was
adopted resulting in strong pres-
sures on companies investing in
South Africa, radical steps to put
an end to emigration, and
maximum support. to the South
African trade union movement,
Morris said. ‘‘The campaign will

continue until the day the African

workers are restored their human-
ity, their human, and trade union
rights,”’ he declared.

After outlining how the UN
could play its role Morris prom-
ised, ‘‘the United Nations ‘may
rest assured that the international
trade union movement will con-
tinue backing its decisions and re-
commendations with an active
follow up.”’

District Labor Council.

COLA for May, June, and July
1976 which is denied because of
the anniversary date of the new
agreement, plus 11¢ an hour new
money. It will mean a real in-
crease. of 2712¢ in the first year,
20¢ in the second, and 21.5¢ in the
third. The estimated COLA for
the life of the agreement will be
98¢.

Gains in Sickness, Accident
and life insurance occur only be-
cause the wage, increase moves
many workers ~into a_ higher
category, in effect no real in-
crease in benefits. With all bene-
fits now being taxable. the state is
taking any increase thatis gained.

A quote froni a Sept. 1976
UAW news bulletin rather neatly
sums up the social role the union
sees for itself and clearly explains
the basis for its projection of shor-
ter work time as opposed to a

GENEVA — Opposing views
over the future of Zimbabwe be-
tween national liberation forces
and the white racist Smith regime
and its Western backers con-
tinues to mark the Geneva Con-
ference proceedings.

Smith and his supporters want

& the conference to agree to a struc-

ture of transitional government
which would make a mockery of
majority rule. They want the
people of Zimbabwe to wait two
years until a state council, gov-
emed by racists, completes the
selection of a puppet regime to
ensure the continuation of some
form of colonial rule.

They want control of the
police and army during the two-
year period which could’ obvi-
ously use the time to smash the
military operations of the libera-
tion forces.

Leaders of the four liberation

' groups at the conference are un-

ited in their rejection of the Brit-
ish-American plan and demand
immediate transfer of power to
the black majority of Zimbabwe
and the confirmation of this in the
very structure of a transitional
government.

At Tribune press time the situa-
tion became further complicated
by the desperate last moves of a
dying Smith regime. Using the
pretext of guerilla attacks,
Rhodesian forces have made sev-
eral raids into Mozambique ‘‘in
retaliation’’ against guerrilla

camps. The falsity of Smith’s —

claims were exposed when a Un-

Jim Bridgewood is member of Local 707 UAW, at the Ford Oakville
plant, an active shop steward and former president of the Oakville “

_security benefits such as SUB:

Opposing views over |
future of Zimbabwe

me

shorter work week as its bargaift

ing strategy. e

“‘Labor and the private sectol
in what has become the mule
rather than the exception, havé
negotiated, and- cooperated of
numerous substantial programs
that reduce the burdens upon gov’
ernment. Reduction of work timé
in that regard would have no less
effect and benefit than privately
negotiated programs that
supplement. insufficient social

sickness and accidents, etc.”’

At Tribune press time Cana
dian Ford-UAW negotiation
have been unable to even product
the U.S. settlement. G.M. can!
wait to get to the bargaining tablé
and settle. UAW Chrysler has cal
led strike deadline for the US and
Canada for Nov. 2 just two days
after the Ford Canada strike
deadline.

ited Nations’ official in Mozat
bique said the camps were in rea”
ity refugee centres, and that many
innocent people were killed in thé
raids.

Smith is also using the militat)
situation, as well as the stale
Geneva talks, to leave for Salis
bury, content to abandon
negotiations and avoid a settle
ment. The Soviet press
charged that Smith would >
satisfied with a breakdown of thé
talks and has, in fact, already ©
ceived American assurances thé
U.S. would then press for lifts?
of economic sanctions agaif’
Rhodesia and materially “back
punitive military actions
Smith’s forces.

If the talks fail, warn the liber
tion forces, this means the racls
forces and their supporters hav’
chosen the path of war. TM

eal

passed by the executive board
of the Canadian Peace Con
gress, Oct. 23-24:

“We call upon the Canadia" |
government to publicly col
demn the atrocities of the racist

St en a ee

‘The following resolution wa | —

]
i
\
t
I
t
t
I

Rhodesian regime committ
against the people of Mozal:
bique in continuing and violet
border violations.

“We further call upon thé
Canadian government to e™
sure no facilities overtor cove™ |
are provided to ghe Smith id
gime for. the recruitment °
mercenaries In Canada.”

3