64 lines
2.7 KiB
Markdown
64 lines
2.7 KiB
Markdown
The **Harco Work-In** was an episode of [workers'
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control](Workers'_Self-Management "wikilink") in a steel factory in
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Sydney, [Australia](Commonwealth_of_Australia "wikilink") in
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[1971](Timeline_of_Libertarian_Socialism_in_Oceania "wikilink").
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## Background
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Harco was a steel [factory](factory "wikilink") that depended on
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government contracts to survive. As these were completed,
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[management](Bosses "wikilink") would fire and rehire
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[workers](Working_Class "wikilink") as contracts came in, and before
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they were fired they were given extraordinary amounts of work to do.
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After the firing of six workers, a [strike](strike "wikilink") occurred.
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The strikers informally gathered at a nearby pub and that simply
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striking would lead to more sackings. Inspired by the recent events in
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[France](May-June_1968_Events_in_France "wikilink") and
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[Scotland](Upper_Clyde_Shipbuilders_Work-In "wikilink"), they decided to
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perform a [work-in](Work-In "wikilink").\[1\]
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## Events
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Under workers' control, the Harco factory saw a 25% increase in
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productivity, which management refused to pay the workers for.\[2\]
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## Results
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The Harco Work-In failed as Harco repeatedly sabotaged the operation by
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stealing tools and supplies whilst randomly shutting off
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[electricity](electricity "wikilink") to the factory. They also went to
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the state and got them to fine the Harco workers, who were still willing
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to continue the work-in. But the refusal for the [reformist
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union](Trade_Union "wikilink") to support the action combined with
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heavier fines eventually ended the work-in, which achieved none of its
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gains and cost the workers their jobs. However, it inspired a wave of
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work-ins across Australia which continued through the 1970s.\[3\]
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## See Also
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- [Work-In](Work-In "wikilink")
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- [May-June 1968 Events in
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France](May-June_1968_Events_in_France "wikilink")
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- [Upper Clyde Shipbuilders
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Work-In](Upper_Clyde_Shipbuilders_Work-In "wikilink")
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- [Clutha Development Mine
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Work-In](Clutha_Development_Mine_Work-In "wikilink")
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- [Sydney Opera House Work-In](Sydney_Opera_House_Work-In "wikilink")
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- [Whyalla Glove Factory
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Work-In](Whyalla_Glove_Factory_Work-In "wikilink")
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- [Wyong Plaza Work-In](Wyong_Plaza_Work-In "wikilink")
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- [Nymboida Mine Work-In](Nymboida_Mine_Work-In "wikilink")
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- [Coal Cliff Work-In](Coal_Cliff_Work-In "wikilink")
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- [Sanyo Television Factory
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Work-In](Sanyo_Television_Factory_Work-In "wikilink")
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- [Union Carbide Work-In](Union_Carbide_Work-In "wikilink")
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- [Department of Social Security
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Work-In](Department_of_Social_Security_Work-In "wikilink")
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## References
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<references />
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1. <http://workers.labor.net.au/features/200402/c_historicalfeature_harco.html>
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2.
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3. |