was decided that the large scale dismissals from BMC in Birmingham during 1956 “were worthy of ‘academic’ attention” and Dr. Kahn and a host of research assistants set about examining the repercussions of redundancy. This book* is a detailed report of these findings. On Wednesday, June 27th, 1956, the British Motor Corporation announced that as from Friday, June 29th, there would be a reduction in its labour force of some 124%. ‘The brunt of these dismissals fell on Birmingham. The extent and suddenness of the lay-off was unprecedented in post-war Britain. The car workers’ unions called a strike, but the men were so demoralised that only about half of them came out. Dr. Kahn examines the difficulties that these, often skilled, men had in regaining employment. Some 27% of the men were unemployed for over a month, while at the end of two months 15% were still not placed. The Labour Exchanges proved to be of little help and succeeded in helping only 15% to find jobs. It has often been the contention of some socialists that sudden, catastrophic events like the Birmingham dismissals would tend to radicalise those sections of workers involved. What evidence that Dr. Kahn presents seems to point to the reverse. In spite of the fact that 45% of those who applied for help to their trade
unions were found jobs, there was a
very obvious slump in regard for the
unions. Twenty per cent. of men
who had been trade unionists before
the sackings refused to rejoin on re-
employment. Amongst the remarks
made by those who refused to rejoin
were that “after paying 1/7 a week
for two years, he had not got his
money’s worth.”
Some 45% of the sample decided
that, in the event of redundancy,
coloured and foreign workers should
be asked to go first irrespective of
length of service.
Even more depressing than this to
socialists is that only 27% of the dis-
missed workers believed that unem-
ployment was not inevitable. The
social nature of the economy was not
remotely grasped. Amongst this
group, however, nearly two-thirds
advocated work sharing. Only a
very small minority saw the problem
as being political: “under the present
system an employer can decide he has
made enough profit and close down;
there should be some planning at
national level.”
If Dr. Kahn’s book can give us a
message, then surely it must be that
mass sackings will be continued as
long as the majority accept them as
inevitable.