News Page Two

Unfortunately, CCAR had to waste time on the eve of the protest defending itself against smear attacks from another antiracist organisation. An e-mail circulated by the local leadership of Unite Against Fascim, who actually split the protest against the EDL in Newport last year (see "Anti-fascists tactics - What happened in Newport?", The Socialist issue 601) made an unture accusation against CCAR of attempting to split this year's Cardiff demonstration. CCAR responded by demanding that UAF send out an apology and a correction to prevent potentially dangerous confusion amongst activists on the day but this was ignored.

Over the last six weeks, Cardiff Communities Against Racism, set up as an attempt to co-ordinate the different antiracist organisations ahead of the EDL protest, organised open and democratic meetings every week, bringing around 170 different people into discussions about the threat that the far right pose to our communities and how to develop an effective strategy for defeating them. Activists are aware that although the EDL were defeated in Wales - twice - again today, the scapegoating of one section of society will continue while public services and jobs are being attacked by big business and the politicians who represent them. Supporters of CCAR are planning to discuss how best to develop their campaign in the period ahead.

which will bring an end to 45 years of car parts production in the plant under Ford, Visteon and Linamar ownership. It could cost the Canadian company as much as £11 million to close the plant they have owned since July 2008 and put the 208 workers on the dolee

This deal, amongst the highest in the whole of the car industry, is testament to the continuous struggle of the workforce against both Visteon and Linamar's attacks on jobs, terms & conditions and pensions over the last 5 years as well as last year's successful reinstatement of sacked Convenor, SP member Rob Williams.

It proved impossible to convince the stewards and the workers that it was possible to stop the closure. They felt that it was too much of a risk to put the enhanced redundancy on the line as Linamar had made it clear that the deal would have been taken away if there was any industrial action. No doubt the reduced number of workers in the plant was also a factor. Workers understood the scale of action that would have been necessary to achieve a victory. Socialist Party members argued for a rejection of the deal and for a strike ballot. This would have been used to raise the idea of an occupation and an appeal for workers at the Swansea's customer plants for its promised new work, the Ford engine plants in Bridgend and Dagenham not to touch Linamar work. Unfortunately but understandably this was rejected and the plant is timed to close before Christmas.

The stewards were given a massive ovation by the workforce at the end of the meeting. As Rob Williams told the meeting, "We can hold our heads up high." We will carry further material over the next few weeks on the lessons of Swansea Visteon / Linamar plant.