[A young worker from the As far as…]
Class Fighter1982 1982-03-01Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 3 →
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A young worker from the As far as as Weighell is We've se NUR looks at flexible concerned, the "flexible the train A young worker NUR looks at rosiers.
LAST SUMMER a pay agreement was reached by Sid Weighell and the British Rail Board (BRB). This meant a 9% immediate increase to be followed by a further increase of 3% in January '82 and the introduction of 'flexible rosters' There was no ballot or sounding of the mémbers' feelings in the NUR. The NUR Executive and Weighell just decided on behalf of thousands of rail workers. This effectively ripped up a work practice of sixty years standing.
As far as Weighell is concerned, the "flexible rostering' is a stamp that's already sealed, but to a great many rail workers this will mean even more redundancies and insocial working hours than we have at present. On January 22nd some guards defied the union officials and walked off the job.
In NUR branch meetings up and down the country resolutions are being passed passed condemning Weighell and the Ebecutive for signing the agreement and calling for fresh elections.
We've seen the anger of the train drivers who weren't paid their 3% at the beginning of this year.
There is no doubt that this workers' movement. was an attempt by the BR Board to smash up the drivers' union, ASLEF.
But that has failed as even Lord McCarthy had to come out in favour of the drivers getting their money. The fight is now on to defeat the 'flexible rosters'. This affects all rail workers.
ASLEF and NUR members need to unite and strike, if necessary, to throw out the 'flexible rosters' that Weighell's agreed to for us behind Union. our backs.