TONY BENN meanwhile, bas heen busy applauding the 'great and opic struggle of the worken at NVT Meriden, whose plan be a workers co operative, after IR HORLI OL SUME TO SUAL LYCEE wally in saving 700 to 800 of the original 1,700 jobs The paper of the Communist Party, the Morning Star, Jo an article headlined -"Happiest factory" gets dawn to work at last, reported this uncritically It's worth looking at just who benelits rom co-operatives It i undoubtedly true that the struggle waged at NVT Meriden saved some jobs which would otheraise have gone. Birt at what a cost! Unpaid modifications were carried out on the Triumph Booneville 150 twin" daring the occupation to allow sales on the American market A productivity increase of around 30 per cent is forecast, and workers have agreed to end 'restrictive practioes, end the piecework system, and pay back sendancy money.
The bikes produced will still be marketed by NVT for at least the next 27 months, while the workers crust pay E3.9 million for the machinery und tupap Joan over the next 15 years No wago rises, even cost of living increases, can be Even without permission of the ministry One pesson whio certainly has benefited is Dennis Poore, who was paid E4.9 million by the lodes to take over the firm and another 24.2 million by Tony Benn Meanwhile the workers at Meriden (oow called Synova Ltd) have been working up to fifteen hours a day during the finst week of production without tea breaks or overtime pay. Some of them may hive saved their jobs - but with the help of Bean and the Labour Government they have heen made to pay with interest the capitalist class 1 price