AMC tightens screws at Toledo Jeep plant

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6 SOCIALIST ACTION JULY 1986 seemed to be very sympathetic to the opposition's demand to "not make Saturn the pattern." After the question had been called, however, UAW President Owen Bieber made an impassioned plea for the Saturn-type agreements.

These helped the union, so Bieber claimed, to organize workers in the new plants "from the inside rather than from the outside." After his speech, the resolution defending the leadership's strategy with the Saturn contract was adopted over -whelmingly. Opposition delegates ack -nowledged that Bieber had single-handedly turned the tide in the discussion.

Elections for all offices were held on June 4. Following the nominations of Bieber for president and Ray Majerus for secretary-treasurer, the convention was interrupted for an hour as a "spontaneous demonstration" was held to support the candidates.

The "demonstration" consisted of stonefaced delegates with signs, walking around the hall as the other delegates talked among themselves. As there was no opposition, the candidates were elected by acclamation.

Region 5 challenge to Bieber The election which drew the most attention, however, was the race for director of Region 5, covering the Midwestern and Southwestern states. Ken Worley, the Steve Daniels is a long-time activist and officer of the UAW in Ohio. He was a delegate from his local to the convention.

By PAUL TOLEDO, Ohio-American Motors Cor -poration (AMC) has been tightening the screws on workers at its AMC Jeep plant here. The company wants to obtain workrule, wage, and benefits concessions. In May, the company began an outright effort to unseat the union leadership.

In 1982, AMC was able to force workers to accept a deferment on payment of part of their wages under a concessions package called the Employee Investment Plan (EIP). The company wants to divert the wages withheld from workers between 1982 and 1985 into a profit-sharing scheme. But the union, United Auto Workers Local 12, notes that "profit sharing" is an illusion, since the company claims to be losing money.

In April and May, Jeep employees were sent letters that threatened to relocate the Jeep facility if the union refused to renounce a formula of direct repayments -called the Wheel Tax plan. When the union continued to press for the Wheel Tax instead of profit sharing, AMC announced the relocation of its "J" line, which builds profitable four-wheel-drive vehicles, to its plant at Kenosha, Wis.

All Jeep employees received letters with the company's demands for further concessions: 1) fewer union stewards; 2) a no-strike clause; 3) forced overtime; 4) revisions in seniority and job-bid rights; 5) cuts in negotiated bonuses and paid holidays; and 6) elimination of "all restrictive work practices."

AMC callously refused to offer even a "sugar pill" promise of job security to sweeten the task of union leaders who ultimately have to sell the concessions package to the ranks. Instead, AMC has taken the attitude that it has a right to demand labor agreements that conform to patterns established at General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler.

In the week before the union election scheduled for May 20, the company brought out its big guns and openly stated in the Toledo Blade newspaper that it would prefer to deal with another union chairman besides the incumbent Danny Wilson.

Committeeman Ray Okdie is Wilson's main rival. Okdie has defended the EIP, which was railroaded through when he was union chairman in 1982. Wilson's approach was to label Okdie a "puppet" of the company. Okdie's approach was to label Wilson as irresponsible and unconcerned with the the Jeep plant in Toledo.

The news media in Toledo predicted a close vote in the union election. They were wrong. In a record turn-out, the Wilson slate took 10 of the 14 executive committee seats, with the Okdie slate picking up four. Most workers were not taken in by the company's threats that a vote for the Wilson slate would force it to close the plant.

But the workers still have not been repaid any of their money. Meanwhile, AMC and Chrysler have negotiated a deal to build Chrysler products at the Kenosha AMC facility. No one at Jeep really believes there will be room to put the "J" line there as well.

It seems that AMC's bluff tactics have run out of steam and that the company is scrambling into alliances with the Big Three to effectively bully the workers at Jeep to get in line with the concessions contracts in the rest of the industry.

The workers' experience and instincts tell them that a big fight is brewing and they are aware that AMC is desperately scrambling to avoid a confrontation.

A victory over the EIP and against General Motors and Chrysler-type conces -sions-as the smallest auto maker is forced to turn back from its offensive against autoworkers' living standards—could spell the end of the whole concessions game in the industry. A victory at Jeep could be an inspiration for all autoworkers to take back the takebacks and bury concessions once and for all.

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