You tell Jim
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If British vehicle operators choose to replace their existing fleets with imported products then the men on the assembly lines in the UK have no justification for screaming with anguish. Continuing disruption to production is causing frustration to the potential customers and the vehicle building industry is in disarray. Despite allegations of the trade union movement, management is only to blame to a very small degree. They can undoubtedly be accused of poor investment because the most important investment management can make is in people. Obviously, the people employed at some British vehicle plants have been bad investments.
The Labour movement must also accept its share of responsibility. If a Socialist Government and the TUC cannot influence the unions, who can? Perhaps the answer is the operator — their customers.
Once they turn to a new make operators invariably standardise. With IVECO, Volvo, MAN, VW, Mercedes, Renault and Scania making a determined bid for UK business, how can they fail to win permanent customers in the present atmosphere?
The time has come for the Cabinet to regard this problem with as much concern as they would a dockers', miners or seamen's dispute. The time for platitudes to "the lads"' is over. They must now be told their fortune, or misfortune, in no uncertain terms.