Duffy's deaf ear to youth

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labour movement. in the Labour Party.

candidate.

newspaper.

place in Bermondsey. industrial struggle after another. SINCE this Tory government was elected, undoubtedly oné of the hardest hit sections has been young workers. The introduction of the 'Young Workers Scheme' which gives bosses the incentive to cut our wages has driven down the average wage for an 18-year old way back to 1977 rates of under £40 a week. Just a glance at Job Centre billboards shows Worse Conditions in the factories have become much worse, contracts of employment much more vague and training has gone down the drain. In my union, the AUEW, there were only 10,000 apprentices taken on last year compared to something like 40,000 in 1975. Even fewer actually get jobs at the end of four years working at cheap rates.

These conditions come with a background of complete collaboration by the trade union leaders, particularly the ones in my union.

Many unions have a youth section which holds its own conference. AUEW rules state that the "executive council shall convene annually a conference of junior workers which shall consist of not less than 26, nor more than 52 delegates".

This is hardly a mammoth task. In fact it's conservative to think that the conference should have only 52 out of the thousands of young workers in our industry. But the right wing majority on the executive council have managed. to knife the conference, for the first time since the union was established.

Condemn

They claim that they couldn't get the 26 delegates. No literature we nt out to the branches so it is not surprising.

The fact by Dave Ayrton Worker Scheme', negotiating the full rate and a proper contract that guarantees a job for YTS workers and doing away with the craft chauvinism which cripples young workers in the union who have less rights than a skilled man.

Young workers in the AUEW should join a fight to oust the right wing leadership by becoming active in the union, attending branch AUEW's Duffy meetings and organising activities.

..The rate for a skilled worker in the engineering industry is now an abysmal £87 due to the collaboration of the AUEW leaders.

Our fight must start by restoring us back to real wages with a £20 new money across-the-board claim that must be fought for. Defence of jobs must also be a priority with both a 35 hour week and a policy of occupying factories threatened with closure.

The whole future of our union, of the youth, depends on that fight being taken up. The alternative is to sit back and get swallowed up by that champion of youth, Frank Chapple and his cronies in the EETPU leadership.

MICK LIGGINS Hackney Central YS, HackLney Trades Council and Hackney AUEW 3 branch

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