MANAGEMENT at the Metal Box factory in Hackney, East London substantial redundancies January. In an effort to save jobs at this 600 strong workplace the shop stewards are having talks with local MPs, GLC and borough officials. Socialist Challenge spoke to FRANK GORTON who is the Trade Union Liaison officer for Hackney North Labour Party and also an engineering union shop steward at Metal Box. There are five unions involved: ASTMS, AUEW, EETPU and TASS.
What's the story behind the company's HCW moves?
The planned rundown of Metal Box production Hines in London continue with the recent announcement of the administrative merger the Palmers Green and Clapton sites.
This will about significant job loss among ASTMS members management is saying that all departments will be affected Metal Box is the last manufacturing establishment left Hacknes more than 500 people. recent closures of Lesney's the Matchbox toy makers and Staffa in Leyton and job LOSS NICSLCLIICI neighbouring Tottenham, this latest threat to lobs in the area will prove to be catastrophic.
Anthony Kendall, Borough Council unemployment here is worse than the depression. It's horrific.
that private companies deal with people's lives. There is no real evidence that the company is in trouble.
so as to maximise profits and hiding the whole thing under a smokescreen of accountancy fiddles.
are to announce at the end of TGWU, One out of every four of working peupie Hackney is already The declinlocal y opportumany of local many ol whom are black - very hard.
This unemployment problem in Hackney is of great concern to the local abour Parties and the trade union movement.
What are you doing to stop the redundancies?
The joint shop stewards committee has convened two her tings to bring those WIIO have an interest in maintaining Metal Box produc tion Hackney and minimising job loss.
The latest meeting at the Town Hall was attended by the three Hacknev MPs: Ernie Roberts and Stanley Clinton Davis, leader of Hackney 'IT'S an appalling situation both for individuals and for Hackney. The 25 per cent *My anger increases daily about the way It's just putting people on the scrap heap Ernie Roberts, Labour MP for Hackney North '1 HAVE been looking at the '82 company accounts. 54 percent of sales are at home bringing E18m profits and 46 percent are overseas bringing £54m profits [his is a consequence of tial investment between overseas. f48m was invested in plant an equipment last year: and £30.5m overseas. There is obviously a pany isn't with its back to the wall or near liquidation.
'In the past the London plants have contributed to Metal Box's growth anc Labour, and Ron Brown SDP:
There were the and Hackney Industrial Polic: groups and the leader and deputy leader of Hackney Borough Council and other top officials.
in addition we had the district officers of the TGWU and ASTMS, the Hackney Trades Council representatives, Metal Box shop stewards and numOC O osTers centred on establishing the facts from national and local management plans for the to carry the Hackney site the differen never -LIIC UK and Box can means unis com- -oreDarea uu maintain employment.
factory as a first step towards making concrete the promise of local, government intervention.
the situation demands, of course, is that boat to he momio e sd the company UOPLIS economic do As a result tree Mps refuse to As a result three MPs and the local government officials have SnOW met local and national Metal Box management How do you think this is going to develop? economic success. It should be prepared time in order that when the promised up. turn in tne economy comes me work force is there to go into full swing again union officer san sliy g at tiedun dande specialy i nacaney voooie arol LuKe •er anotner one ano une reounoan( 1 believe that the workers anto their jobs if theyte they're OUT U D a Stuccle tnioUeT Their unions eno or ine shoe roor 'In the multinationals its only those workers who put up a struggle who car The great majority of the workforce need to keer their jobs and are responding to these initiatives TVTEA great interest, However it's early days This situanon makes big demands on the workforce. the management, MPs. But especially it tests the GLC election promise to save jobs in the inner city areas.
What we really need as Arthur Scargill says, is a government that is as loyal to the working class as the Tories are to their class. Sid Weighell they caught him with his fingers in the ballot box