U Sell-out Poe

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Post Office engineers have been invited by their union executive to take part in the burial service of their claim for a 35 hour week, at a Special Conference in Birmingham on Saturday. (September 16).

Leaders of the Post Office Engineering Union accepted a sell out deal on the engineers' claim for a 35 hour week, despite the fact that any proposed settlement was supposed to go to a conference.

Now with the action long called off those who sabotaged a winnable claim can expect to have the best conditions to force it through as a fait accomplis.

The combination of overtime bans and work to rules, which, though inadequate had built up an enormous head of pressure, had been the result of frustration over seven years of claiming a shorter working week.

The leaders of the POEU at a Special Conference in January while rejecting the Post Office UNION DUES proposals for self financing productivity deals (in other words, selling jobs) told their members that they must "seek a productivity agreement in the context of this claim because it was the only way in which it was possible to achieve shorter hours without coming into direct conflict with Government policy"

The union leaders also quoted the 12 month rule as an obstacle to the claim.

Insisted on The Special Conference threw out this blatant colla. boration but failed to escalate industrial action.

It was not until the Annual Conference in June that the overtime ban, work to rule and selective stoppages were insisted on by the membership.

The action taken by the Post Office against the engineers which led to complete stoppages in some areas was ordered by Post Office National Board and the Regional Boards-all of which are participation bodies AT THE containing union members.

This 'experiment' in "industrial democracy' produces a consensus opinion without even recording opposition if any.

Clearly a fight must be taken up at the Conference in Birminham this Saturday to reject the deal, which ties a shorter week, (but not 35 hours) to a two stage deal and the introduction of now technology which will massacre engineers jobs.

The American equivalent of System X (which the Post Office is in an advanced stage of developing in Britain) cut the manufacturing workers of Western Electric from 39,000 in 1970 to 19,000 in 1976.

It has brought an estimated 75% cutback in labour for faultfinding, maintenance, repair and installation.

There will be opposition at the Conference-but if it is to be successful, it must have a political understanding of the reasons for the sell out, and a perspective of building a new revolutionary leadership inside the POEU.

WELL YOU'VE GOT TO HAND IT TO HIM, OLD JIM CERTAINLY PUT ONE OVER ON THE TORIES! AND IT GIVES US ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD) TO PREPARE. J ...AS LONG AS THESE BLOODY LEFTIES DONT TRY TO REWRITE THE MANIFESTO...

A leaflet from the Central London branches of the union into the TUC shows the wrong way to fight.

This "applauded" the hypo. critical speeches of TUC leaders in favour of the 35 hour week and said that support for Basnett's shorter working week motion was vital.

Without both realising and proclaiming that TUC leadersBasnett foremost among themhave no intention of permitting any struggles on the 35 hour week or any other gains for the working class, the sell out will undoubtedly be pushed through.

The central London branches-which point to the massive loss of 80,000 engineers jobs to new technology-must take up a fight within the union around the policy of work sharing on full pay-fighting for the retention of all jobs, with the work shared. among membership without any loss of pay.

WELL HAVE TO JUMP ON ANYTHING Cram the Grunwick. Strike with Committee, the Sandersons Strike Committee and the Garners Strike Committee.

Challenge Meanwhile Ron Todd, who as Region 1 Secretary played such a role in isolating and holding back the Garners strike is now, as National Organiser, the man in charge of holding back the Sanderson's strike.

Come and challenge these bureaucrats on 7th October! Join with us in demanding: *TGWU Region 1 must support Strike Committee policy! *Regular daily TGWU delegations to picket all Garners restaurants. *Black Garners suppliers! *£36 per week strike pay financed if necessary by a Regional levy. *No deals with the police on picketing! Condemn Region 1 collaboration!

THE WAY HE PULLED THE ELECTION RUG FROM UNDER THATCHER, LEAVINGHER WITH A HUGE BILL FOR ADVERTS...

LIKE THAT! (AND WE'LL HAVE TO HOLD THE LINE ON PAY!) AND TERRY WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT BLOODY SHOWER OF TOOL MAKERS... IN FACT, LADS, THINKING ABOUT IT... he TGWU national, regional ind local leadership.

A new leadership must be Juilt in the fight to force the sureaucracy to implement the ollowing policies.

Organise mass pickets with egular union delegations!

Cut off: essential services, black all suppliers!

Implement a regional TGWU inancial levy on members to upport the strike!

LEAGUE

HULL Public Meeting andersons and Garner unionisation Friday 22 September 7.30 p.m.

Blackboy Hotel High Street Speaker from Garners Strike Committee and Sandersons Strike Committee (invited)

OH YES-THAT'S THE WAY SHOOTS DOWN THAT TO DEAL WITH THE TORIES LIE ABOUT A PRE-ELECTION BOOM!

IT WASN'T THATCHER THAT GOT -w. count

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SOCIALIST SSE