THE LUCAS PLAN
CELEBRATE THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LUCAS PLAN
NOVEMBER 26TH, BIRMINGHAM
The Lucas Plan was a pioneering effort by workers at the arms company Lucas Aerospace to retain jobs by proposing alternative, socially-useful applications of the company’s technology and their own skills. It remains one of the most radical and forward thinking attempts ever made by workers to take the steering wheel and directly drive the direction of change. Read the Plan here.
Today, in 2016 — 40 years after the Lucas Plan — we’re facing a convergence of crises: militarism and nuclear weapons, climate chaos, and the destruction of jobs by automation.
These crises mean we have to start thinking about technology as political, as the Lucas Aerospace workers did.
Our conference will aim to re-open the debate about industrial conversion and democracy.
You can be part of this. It’s in our hands: we have to show that alternatives are possible. Together we can start creating the Lucas Plans of the future. It could be the best way to make sure we still have a future.
AT THE LUCAS PLAN ANNIVERSARY CONFERENCE IN NOVEMBER 2016:
- Hear the story of the challenges and breakthroughs in the original Lucas Plan first-hand – from shop stewards who played key roles
- Learn from leading, inspirational figures in the trade union, left, peace and environment movements
- Take part in workshops, where you’ll connect with other changemakers and tackle issues that are close to you – from local community plans, to union action on industrial conversion, and much more.
The conference will provide fresh impetus to the discussions and plans taking shape around the idea of a ‘Just Transition’. We’ll be talking about existing approaches, such as the ‘One Million Climate Jobs’ plan, and also bringing in plenty of grassroots voices.
THE CONFERENCE WILL FOCUS ON THE FOLLOWING TOPICS:
- The Lucas Plan story and its relevance today
- Trident and arms conversion
- Climate change, renewable energy and transition issues
- Alternative and local community plans
- Robotics, automation and the future of work
- Practical ways to develop the Lucas Plans of the future
Celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Lucas Plan!
Veteran trade unionists and younger activists see Nobel prize-nominated plan as
inspiration for the future
Leading figures from the left, trade union, environmental and peace movements are coming
together at a conference on November 26th with a fresh perspective on tackling current
crises, using the ideas of socially useful production pioneered in the Lucas Plan. The Plan,
produced by workers at the Lucas Aerospace arms company, showed how jobs could be
saved by converting to make products that answer a social need, rather than weapons. See
www.lucasplan.org.uk, or the notes below for more information on the Lucas Plan.
The conference will focus on 5 key themes: • The Lucas Plan and socially useful production. • Arms conversion and peace. • Climate change and a socially just transition to sustainability. • The threat to skills and livelihoods from automation. • Local/community economic and industrial planning. Linking all these issues is the need to rethink how we can produce what people and society actually need and overcome corporate domination through their control of technology.
Highlights of the conference will include: • Talks by Phil Asquith, Brian Salisbury and Mick Cooney (Lucas Aerospace Shop Stewards Combine). • Screening of a new film on the Lucas Plan by Steve Sprung. • Contributions from: Chris Baugh (PCS), Suzanne Jeffery (Million Climate Jobs Campaign), Hilary Wainwright (Red Pepper), John McDonnell (tbc), Natalie Bennett and Molly Scott-Cato (Green Party), Romayne Phoenix (People’s Assembly Against Austerity), Mary Pearson (Birmingham Trades Council), Jim Wyke (Young Scots for Independence), Philippa Hands (Unison), Stuart Parkinson (Scientists for Global Responsibility), Dave Elliott (Open University), Dave King (Breaking the Frame), Tom Woolley (Rachel Bevan Architects), Simon Fairlie (The Land magazine), Karen Leach (Localise West Midlands), plus more speakers to be announced.
The conference on the Lucas Plan 40th anniversary will be held at Birmingham Voluntary Service Council (138 Digbeth, Birmingham, B5 6DR) on November 26, 2016. See www.lucasplan.org.uk. The conference is being organised and sponsored by: former members of the Lucas Aerospace Shop Stewards Combine, Breaking the Frame, PCS, UCU, Million Climate Jobs Campaign, Green Party, Scientists for Global Responsibility, Campaign Against Arms Trade, and Red Pepper.
Tickets are £10/£5 concessions: To book for the conference, visit www.lucasplan.org.uk/tickets. For more information, email info@breakingtheframe.org.uk
BACKGROUND INFO: The Lucas Aerospace Shop Stewards Combine’s Alternative Corporate Plan (‘The Lucas Plan’) was launched in 1976 and became famous worldwide, sparking an international movement for socially useful production and workers’ plans. Facing the threat of redundancies, the Combine collected 150 ideas from shop floor workers about alternative socially useful products that could be produced by the company, instead of relying on military orders. Many of the innovations in the plan, such as hybrid car engines, heat pumps and wind turbines were commercially viable and are now in widespread use. Although the Alternative Plan was rejected by Lucas Aerospace managers, it was instrumental in protecting jobs at Lucas in the 1970s. The Combine was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and Mike Cooley received the Right Livelihood Award in 1982. More information about the Plan, including the 53-page summary of the five 200 page volumes, can be found on the conference website, www.lucasplan.org.uk.
Please help us by asking your trade union or organisation to sponsor the conference and, if possible, make a donation towards the organising costs yourself.
The conference will focus on 5 key themes: • The Lucas Plan and socially useful production. • Arms conversion and peace. • Climate change and a socially just transition to sustainability. • The threat to skills and livelihoods from automation. • Local/community economic and industrial planning. Linking all these issues is the need to rethink how we can produce what people and society actually need and overcome corporate domination through their control of technology.
Highlights of the conference will include: • Talks by Phil Asquith, Brian Salisbury and Mick Cooney (Lucas Aerospace Shop Stewards Combine). • Screening of a new film on the Lucas Plan by Steve Sprung. • Contributions from: Chris Baugh (PCS), Suzanne Jeffery (Million Climate Jobs Campaign), Hilary Wainwright (Red Pepper), John McDonnell (tbc), Natalie Bennett and Molly Scott-Cato (Green Party), Romayne Phoenix (People’s Assembly Against Austerity), Mary Pearson (Birmingham Trades Council), Jim Wyke (Young Scots for Independence), Philippa Hands (Unison), Stuart Parkinson (Scientists for Global Responsibility), Dave Elliott (Open University), Dave King (Breaking the Frame), Tom Woolley (Rachel Bevan Architects), Simon Fairlie (The Land magazine), Karen Leach (Localise West Midlands), plus more speakers to be announced.
The conference on the Lucas Plan 40th anniversary will be held at Birmingham Voluntary Service Council (138 Digbeth, Birmingham, B5 6DR) on November 26, 2016. See www.lucasplan.org.uk. The conference is being organised and sponsored by: former members of the Lucas Aerospace Shop Stewards Combine, Breaking the Frame, PCS, UCU, Million Climate Jobs Campaign, Green Party, Scientists for Global Responsibility, Campaign Against Arms Trade, and Red Pepper.
Tickets are £10/£5 concessions: To book for the conference, visit www.lucasplan.org.uk/tickets. For more information, email info@breakingtheframe.org.uk
BACKGROUND INFO: The Lucas Aerospace Shop Stewards Combine’s Alternative Corporate Plan (‘The Lucas Plan’) was launched in 1976 and became famous worldwide, sparking an international movement for socially useful production and workers’ plans. Facing the threat of redundancies, the Combine collected 150 ideas from shop floor workers about alternative socially useful products that could be produced by the company, instead of relying on military orders. Many of the innovations in the plan, such as hybrid car engines, heat pumps and wind turbines were commercially viable and are now in widespread use. Although the Alternative Plan was rejected by Lucas Aerospace managers, it was instrumental in protecting jobs at Lucas in the 1970s. The Combine was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and Mike Cooley received the Right Livelihood Award in 1982. More information about the Plan, including the 53-page summary of the five 200 page volumes, can be found on the conference website, www.lucasplan.org.uk.
Please help us by asking your trade union or organisation to sponsor the conference and, if possible, make a donation towards the organising costs yourself.
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