TRADE unionists view technology suspicion. They know that management uses work practices, machinery and time studies to increase profitability and this usually means job loss, de-skilled tasks and more intense pressure.
Most books wallet on technological change work organised written for management. Architect or Bee is different. It is written workers' tivist Mike Cooley.
Useful Mike was involved in drawing up the Lucas Aerospace combine committee's alternative employment ment's arms-related projects, proposed Lue Lue manufacture of sociallyusetul products like kidney machines and the rail bus.
Cooley's ycals technical experience and struggle in industry have gone into this collection writings. Examples are given of brutally precise time and motion studies. Shitt svstems. fatigue, job fragmentation THE term "Little Moscows' was applied to a whole number of centres of socialist resistance between the wars.
Stuart Macintyre concenon three such al cas which managed to maintain their radicalism after the defeat of the 1926 General Strike: the mining villages of Mardy in the Rhondda valley, Lumphinians Fifeshire, and the textile towns of the Vale of Leven which lies to the north of Glasgow.
Initially the term was used as part of a red scare by the press. Thus a few weeks after the general strike, the South Wales News came out banner headlines: 'Little Moscow, Lawless Mardy.
Region Terror. Thousands of Communists who christen their town "Little Moscow The Daily Express got into ine act and sent a fearless reporter who managed then escape from MarVISIT dy, where 'visitors from outside there go in fear of their lives'. and loss of skill. The worker has indeed become an appendage to the machine.
New technology is used by management increase its control wale boredom das come be expected on design is felt to be one of the last areas of skill and interest Even here Computer Aided Design systems (CAD) stress, routinisation and loss • CredLIvILy In 1973 designers in the AUEW at a large Birmingham claimed 'parity ment the equipment' une had better conditions than the worKers. LOUK dustrial stoppages of workers to win their demand.
Cooley argues that trade unions must pay attention to the work process itself; the that ano and are only abused should Cab talll to doned.
Science
under capitalism are geared to the needs of the svstem. and.
to in- says Cooley, fundamenta change must in over the clude revolt system's technology and work processes. the This must be with the development of an alternative places humans at the centre of the work process, interacting with the machine to enhance skills and creativity:
technical factory Examples of such alternative 'human-centred' techCAD nologies the book, such as maches which enable workers on oil for the pipelines • Call Y highly safe distance. much more Wilh these Ideas issues a science with the outdated notion that niculla.
by all science and technology is be aban- inevitably progressive. Little Moscows 'where visitors from outside went in fear of their lives role ti-Empire tions In workers set up to protect pickets.
among the CP set up choirs, bands, and HOVE sports teams.
CP and left Labour, controllparish therefore relief loage between also ran board which South children, the Old Folks Treat Committee, Children's Gala Commitand technology sophisticated Many strategy for dous potential.
against the dramatically munication. combined police technology that Onl.
work against throughout devices socialism? maunte alle telechiric their vul skilled work from Cooley ment. The challenge to the left arallis! the claims has stuck Hullalc Women playea a leading tee and big Association.
Lumphinians SOUSEST was area, To avoid demoralisation the The left, an alliance of the Vy Cas council with the words: administered the was right. generously. They MacIntyre the local education fascinating fed the school role of women.
and even took over progress cosmuni But existing technology is double-sided. Computers and communications systems have a tremenIn a socialist society they could be used to increase access to information and mass com This is directly opposite to their present use computers, surveillance techniques and so The book tends to ignore the negative aspects of skilled with workers guarding tel skis jealously, not jus management but against fellow workers. Surely the widest possible opportunitv to learn new skills Is a desirable development The desire to hang onto a skill may also be partly due to wouldn't the lack of access to new skills and the threat of unemployauthor welder of ed bodies transfering skills to a democratic robot device ov getting it lo the welding movements. But in a planned STAR hard ex-servicemens volence Com- volved magistrates in the picket line held a one ol wholl was Dalticularly famous for reliance than legal prinches a girl charged with stealing coal admitted that it warm young brother. he dismissed the case 'What ye did contributes a chapter the There was no generalised advance but some Communists sood Morons economy, welders would be happy to transfer their skills to such devices because this mean LINC doleopportunities would exist to • skills And these decisions would be determinby the conscious choice producers and consumers.
Despite Lest resCIva tions, this is a welcome book. It is a unique and valuable contribution to Marxist theory on a topic largely neglected by the left.
It takes the discussion on technolog the 'anti-science calls movement and into the cauldron of revolutionary strategy. Hopefully will spark off the much needed debate.
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Under socialism new technology could dramatically increase mass communication