EMPLOYERS' ORGANISATIONS MERGER NEARER by Pat Jordan
The Financial Times has been giving extensive coverage to the process of merging the three main employers' organisations into one body. These are the Federation of Sritish Industries, the National Association of British Manufacturers (formerly National Union of Manufacturers, but the name was changed because members objected to having the same initials as the Mineworkers! Union!) and the British Employers! Confederation, The main opposition to the merger has come from the NABM, whose treasurer, aided and abetted by Gerald Nabarro, M.P., has led an active campaign against it, The argument from this source is that the voice of the small manufacturers would be lost in the merged organisation, Another source of opposition has been from certain elements in the BEC. The latter is made up of employers' organisations in particular industries, one of the most important of which is the Engineering Employers! Federation, This organ= isation is concerned about how the problem of some large firms, not in the federation, would fit into the new set-up. Firms such as Ford Motor. have quite separate agreements with the unions on wages and conditions. As these tend to be much more favourable to the unions than the agreements entered into by the federation (reflecting the more intensive exploitation of labour) there is bad feeling between the federated and non-federated firms,
So:much for the opposition to the merger. The main tendency is for the differences to be overcome. The employers, too, realise the significa~ nce of the saying ‘unity is strength', and their spokesman have contrasted their position with that of the unions. More important though is that these moves reflect a growing concentration of capital in Britain and an awareness that in the coming days of heightened competition decisive battles will be on the order of the day. In a highly competitive capitalist world the British employers will want to have their hands free to introduce all kinds of technical change and rationalisation without having to adjust its plans in response to union pressure. “ence the pressure for unity.
On July 15th, according to the Financial Times, important progress was made to this ends ",..Mr. Peter Runge, president of the FBI, summed up their" (the three organisations') “attitude in these words: 'we are well pleased with the outcome...All three bodies are favour of creating a single organisatione'.e..eeThe NABM is to call a special meeting of its members on Oct. 21, At this meeting, its leaders will recommend acceptance of the merger report drawn up by independent commissioners last April. They will ask for authority to form a merger ‘intesp tion committee! and to do "all such acts and things! necessary to enable a fulfil its functions, But it will still be necessary for the executive to ballot members eventually, and 75% of them will have to say "yes"...eTwo votes were taken at yesterday's mecting. One resulted in six votes being cast against a proposal, and the other attractéd opposition from three members. Over 40 council members attended. eceee
"The BEC is to refer consideration of details to a working party, which will have to report back to the Council before any decision is taken. The FBI's Grand Council reaffirmed its belief that the interests of industry and the nation will be served by the creation of a single organisation." The paper reported Mr, Runge as saying that the merger was a certainty, and the other two leaders saying it was nearly a certainty, and that the new body should be in being "within a year at the latest." We have been warned!