Commentary

Versatile Workers Win Partial Victory

On July 18, the Manitoba Labour Board issued an order for Buhler-Versatile to pay its workers full wages for the period that they were on strike from November 3, 2000 to March 24, 2001. The order follows the Labour Board's previous ruling that Buhler-Versatile had failed to bargain in good faith. The order also instructs the employer to return to the bargaining table and to drop its unreasonable demands concerning which employees may return to work. The issue of the legality of the company lock-out which began on March 25 will be addressed by the Labour Board later in August.

The amount of wages owed to the Versatile workers is expected to exceed $6 million, the highest award in Manitoba history. The union is also asking for another $6 to $8 million in expenses that it incurred during the strike. Versatile owner John Buhler has stated that he will not comply with the Labour Board order because he has no money. Yet, when negotiation opened last year, Mr. Buhler boasted to the union negotiators that he had lots of money and they weren't getting any of it. During the Labour Board hearings it was revealed that Buhler Industries was paid $2 million by Case-New Holland to take over the factory and the purchase agreement contained a provision that Case-New Holland would pay all operating expenses in the event of a strike. In addition, Buhler Industries realized profits of over $7 million last year and $2.3 million in the last quarter.

While the Labour Board order represents an important victory for the Versatile workers, it is only a partial victory. It contains no guarantees that all or any of the Versatile workers will return to work. There is also some concern about the ability of the Labour Board to enforce its order because most of the assets of Buhler-Versatile were transferred to other Buhler companies immediately after it was purchased. In addition, company officials have vowed to fight the ruling to "the highest court in the land", so workers will likely not see any money for several years.

The order underlines the inherent limitations of the entire labour relations system. The decision does not deal with the fact that John Buhler stuffed his pockets with taxpayers' money, then demanded concessions and threatened to move the factory to the U.S. The Labour Board has no power to make any rulings which challenge the fundamental rights of private property. Its role is to defend the capitalist system by regulating labour relations, while pretending that the system is impartial and that labour and capital are equal. Buhler's mistake was that he went too far and blatantly violated the rules in a manner that exposed the inequality in the relationship between labour and capital. If he had the slightest amount of sophistication, he could probably have accomplished everything he sought, including moving the plant to North Dakota, with the blessing of the Labour Board, just as countless other capitalists have in the past.

Canadian law recognizes the ownership rights of Mr. Buhler to the Versatile factory even though he invested absolutely nothing in it. It recognizes his right to close the plant and eliminate the jobs of 250 workers with no compensation, so long as he does so in accordance with the rules. But it recognizes no ownership rights for the workers who have invested years of their labour into building the company and producing high quality tractors. It provides them no right to any of the assets of the company and not even the right to be consulted prior to those assets being liquidated and pocketed by Mr. Buhler. Those who produce everything have no rights to the fruit of their labours, while the John Buhlers of the world, who produce nothing, are recognized as the owners of the entire society. There is something seriously wrong with a society which perpetuates such injustice.