1971 Harco work-in
Encyclopedia
The 1971 Harco work-in was an action undertaken by workers at a steel plant in Campbelltown
, New South Wales
, Australia
. The work-in
was the culmination of a protracted industrial dispute between the owners of Harco Steel and the workers at the Campbelltown site. The dispute arose as a result of worker objections to the owners' practice of sacking and then rehiring workers to reduce costs during low production periods.
After a round of sackings
in November 1971, the workers decided that strike action
, common at the site, was no longer an effective tactic for confronting management. Drawing inspiration from factory occupations
in France
since 1968 and actions taken by the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders
in Scotland
earlier in 1971, the Harco workers adopted the tactic of the work-in.
The work-in lasted for a period of four weeks. During this time the plant was operated by the workers
without input from management. The owners of Harco responded in a number of ways, including sabotage
and legal action. Workers received community support in the form of donations of food and money. The work-in ended when Harco obtained an order from the Supreme Court of New South Wales
which compelled the workers to leave the site.
Campbelltown, New South Wales
Campbelltown is a suburb in south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Campbelltown is located 51 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Campbelltown.- History :Campbelltown...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The work-in
Work-in
A work-in is a form of direct action, where a group of workers whose jobs are under threat resolve to remain in their place of employment and continue producing without pay...
was the culmination of a protracted industrial dispute between the owners of Harco Steel and the workers at the Campbelltown site. The dispute arose as a result of worker objections to the owners' practice of sacking and then rehiring workers to reduce costs during low production periods.
After a round of sackings
Termination of employment
-Involuntary termination:Involuntary termination is the employee's departure at the hands of the employer. There are two basic types of involuntary termination, known often as being "fired" and "laid off." To be fired, as opposed to being laid off, is generally thought of to be the employee's...
in November 1971, the workers decided that strike action
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
, common at the site, was no longer an effective tactic for confronting management. Drawing inspiration from factory occupations
Occupation of factories
Occupation of factories is a method of the workers' movement used to prevent lock outs. They may sometimes lead to "recovered factories," in which the workers self-manage the factories.They have been used in many strike actions, including:...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
since 1968 and actions taken by the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders
Upper Clyde Shipbuilders
Upper Clyde Shipbuilders was a British shipbuilding consortium created in 1968 as a result of the amalgamation of five major shipbuilders of the River Clyde in Scotland...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
earlier in 1971, the Harco workers adopted the tactic of the work-in.
The work-in lasted for a period of four weeks. During this time the plant was operated by the workers
Workers' self-management
Worker self-management is a form of workplace decision-making in which the workers themselves agree on choices instead of an owner or traditional supervisor telling workers what to do, how to do it and where to do it...
without input from management. The owners of Harco responded in a number of ways, including sabotage
Sabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is...
and legal action. Workers received community support in the form of donations of food and money. The work-in ended when Harco obtained an order from the Supreme Court of New South Wales
Supreme Court of New South Wales
The Supreme Court of New South Wales is the highest state court of the Australian State of New South Wales...
which compelled the workers to leave the site.
External links
- Photo of the Harco Steel site, ca. 1968-1970, from Campbelltown City Library.