ENGINEERING workers at Staffa Products Ltd in East London who are occupying their factory to save jobs were ordered to quit the site by the High Court — or face forceable eviction by the police.
the Leyton plant are fighting a decision by the firm's US-based owners, Brown and Sharpe, to close the plant with a loss of over 300 jobs.
The company, hydraulic equipment, received a grant of £4.5m government to Plymouth.
workers approached Council for aid and the GLC offered to match the government offer. The company rejected it.
occupied the plant, followed by the staff side.
directed his members to withdraw from the sit-in, so now the 140 staff workers are on 24-hour picket duty outside the gate.
New discoveries Socialist Challenge last week reported that Staffa workers had uncovered detailed plans - that cost their bosses t10.000 tion to the move to Plymouth.
bosses had planned to take one 'key worker' with them Plymouth, skills but solely on the basis of his proven 'antiunion' record.
*Report Study' drafted 30 March 1981, spells out the nuts and bolts of how the company will save over f1m a year in Plymouth.
relocation is a significant reduction in Employee Costs due to: 1) Fewer people being employed after the move, producing or supporting the same level of output and shipments due to improved efficiency. 2) Lower labour rates which will apply in the Pivmouth area.
It details:
Savings at Plymouth Hourly rated employees 204 × 52(3.38 -(employee benefits) = £271,500 per annum Staff 140 x (7000 benefits) = £106,400 per annum Total savings due £106,400 £377,900 Total employee savings associated with move (at 1981 rates) is therefore due to reduced numbers = £684,400 per annum and due to lower rates £377,900.
Total is £1,062,300.
send all messages of support.
telegrams to Chris Newson, tee, 39 Somers Road, Walthamstow E17. The 390 engineering workers and staff at which manutactures move the plant to In an attempt to stave off the move the the Greater London On 29 September the engineering workers Subsequently the local official for ASTMS At the hearing on 7 October, many of the 305 to undermine any opposiIn new finds, they have discovered that the because of his work on Staffa Products Relocation labour costs by making the move to It says A fundamental element of the proposed 2.82) per hour x 39 hours × 1.172 - 6360) per annum × 1.188 (employee to labour rates = £271,500 + conatons ano AUEW Strike CommitHe deplored the He said, the bosses did when they were in control.' the proceedings Green replied, plauded. The judge none.' Green then said, ир.
courts represented - morale is high.
to win.
they can't get the products anywhere else but Leyton. workers named on the High Court writ were in court to hear the convenor of the stewards committee, Dave Green, speak on their behalf.
use of the courts in a dispute between management and workers.
'We are fighting for our jobs, and we are taking better care of the factory than When asked by the judge about a point in If there's any law in the land to make management save our jobs, then please apply it. ' This was warmly apanswered, 'There are 'Well then make one Despite ASTMS taking its members out of the sit-in and despite the concern that many workers feel about the to-ing and fro-ing in the where they were not at first legally They feel very confident that they are going The company's new site in Plymouth won't be ready for two years and in the meantime manutactured Staffa workers at one of their weekly mass meetings