Interview with Trish West, Shop Steward for the Amalgamated Engineer's Union ( AEU...

Interview with Trish West, Shop Steward for the Amalgamated Engineer's Union ( AEU ) in the electrical components section at the Delco Products Overseas Corporation's Dunstable plant concerning the company's employment practises. Also on side B what is probably a trades union training session in negotiation skills.

Side A: details include recent closure threats to the plant, description of pay and conditions, the sale of Delco by General Motors the original parent company in 1994, description of the product ( brush plates for windscreen wipers ) and assembly procedures, tensions between the electrical and component companies within the Delco Group, major customers include Ford, General Motors, Nissan and Rover, essentially same product for different customers with minor technical variations, noisy working environment and tight plant security.

Side B: (1) Continuation of Side A above details include difficulty of obtaining information from management concerning the calculation of production targets, development of the production cell concept with cell leaders, 'Pay for Knowledge' scheme with 7p per hour bonus, lack of management commitment in training and resources, level of union commitment, description of her trade union activity and poor support from the trade union. hierarchy.

(2) The identification of this tape is not clear, however it appears to be a trade union training exercise in negotiation skills based on a scenario around the proposed withdrawal of the works shower facility in an engineering works due to the abuse of time wasting by the employees. The participants play the parts of the management and trades unions sides and there is evaluation of their performances. This is a realistic recreation of what a trades union meeting with management could be like.

( Original Ref. SS10 Dunstable College Tish ( sic ) West )

Acc.No. 7542