Tactical retreat on docks sackings

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Socialist Press. to:

Socialist Press Montly Fund • come target, coming the sectarian In a cynical move to head off growing resistance by dockers, Transport Secretary William London's threatened Upper Docks-at least until after the election.

Port of London Authority management wish to close the Upper Docks, claiming that they lose money which will total £16 million next year.

But Rodgers is expected to announce that the government will make at least £20 million available£16 million to cover the deficit and a further sum to finance a gradual programme of redundancies.

At the same time the period of the new '"stay of execution" will be marked by a series of intensified attacks on the conditions of work won by dockers over decades of struggle.

This strategy-designed to undermine dockers' militant determination to defend wobs and condtionshas the full connivance of union ofticials.

They have already agreed to ensure that their members accept what management refer to as an "improvement in working practices"

This will be monitored throughout the year-with the continual threat that government backing will be withdrawn and closure implemented if dockers resist forced speed-up.

Piecemeal

And at the same time union leaders have already accepted that the present 4,500 jobs in the Upper Docks will be whittled down piecemeal over the next period and they hope this will avoid the confrontation that sudden closure would bring.

The near certainty that docks shop stewards would have been pressed into calling strike action in the run up to the next elect stands as a major factor the decision to hold back this closure.

Opportunism

Similar electora! opportunism stood behind the decision of Health minister Ennals to "reprieve" the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital, while pressing ahead with plans for its closure and relocation in another hospital.

In each case workers must see the dangers that they face. Labour ministers are working in the closest collaboration with union bureaucrats to find the best way to head off resistance to their reactionary Dockers must demand the opening of the books of the PLA and the whole of the highly profitable National Ports Council to elected trade union committees.

Such an enquiry can be linked with an examination need for the nationalisation without compensation of the docks as a whole and a planned development of these facilities under workers management, in which available work would be shared, without loss of pay, between the entire workforce.

FIGHT RACIST / BUILD WORKERS DEFENCE Monthly paper of the Socialist Youth League Issue No. 2 OUT NOW Price 5p, from SYL, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 TACKS pite

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Rodgers is to announce a "reprieve" of

Red Youth