The fight for workers

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refused to negotiate with us for with the T&G tanker drivers, a week, and when they. did and we let in just over sufficient come to us they tried to make to allow for the heating of the us take a cut in wages to pay for hospital wards. domestics being employed else- This is still all under the conwhere! trol of the stewards, and it can The NUPE leaders' answer to be stopped at any time, if there this was to go to ACAS-which is any infringement in any way has no power, because even by the management.

their instructions. strike action limited to During the strike, what have emegency cover like this will you done about emergency give us success in this pay claim.

think of the policy of selective strike action?

The action they advised was all wrong. They should have advised an all-out strike or nothing.

They've just confused everybody in the union, and hindered us more than helped us.

We are toid that the four unions involved should all be taking action; but when we've trier to unite the nther unions LILM LU 6,FU ... have pulled away-we start action and then we're left right in the open.

Why do you think the union officers aren't calling for all out action?

The officers are running away from a confrontation with the government.

I think a confrontation with the government is necessary to win the pay claim.

Hospital workers are prefor what they really deserve.

But they need leadership, strong leadership.

The union should go back to the grass roots and start again on basic Trade Union principles.

Officers should be elected by the people who actually do the work.

How has NUPE handled this dispute at the Westminster hospital so far?

vestminister monagement management wouldn't listen to We said that emergency cover would be provided under our control.

The control of oil deliveries is at the present time under the control of the stewards, which is enough to give the patients comfort and safety-they are sick people and we don't want to make them suffer.

We've got full agreement with the tanker drivers' T&GWU branch.

Iln manitar tha nil Inunte monitor the oi!

I think that only all out 'pay train guards' There was action all over the country and BR offered a bonus of 50p a turn (i.e, a duty).

ASLEF immediately said they wanted an equal increase for their members on DU'S (diesel multiple units) to maintain differentials.

Then the clerical sections in the TSSA tried the same thing. But the Railway Staff National Tribunal under Lord McCarthy only accepted the guards' claim.

BR 'did agree to pay drivers of high speed trains 25% a duty extra. But the RSNT suggested a further classification into four grades of train, which the NUR supported.

The NUR saw it as a way of improving pay for all above the lowest grade. Again ASLEF disagreed.

Then there's been the NUR proposals for a Busniess Performance Scheme. The NUR Research Department produced this plan of relating pay to passenger: and freight tonne miles.

It was proposed as a self-financing productivity deal in 1977 to get round the 10% What are ASLEF's argúments?

They say they bear the brunt of technological change and improved productivity, high speeds, heavy loads, new forms of traction, signalling, braking etc.

ASLEF only represents drivers, 27,700 of them. The NUR represents allgrades including 2,000 drivers.

We think that Buckton is very pressed by a particulariy strong group on Southern Region. The whole industry is very sectionalised.

What about this year's claim?

The NUR wants a substantial increase, a 35-hour week and we have a firm position on not trading jobs for wages.

In fact BR made an offer involving the axing of 20,000 jobs, with another 20,000 by 1981 so the NUR refused to continue negotiating.

Meanwhile ASLEF started striking for their 10% which they are asking for all drivers now.

Len Murray was brought in to get both unions back round the table and now its been handed over to Lord McCarthy and the RSNT again.

The management A Scottish railman referred to the railman's wage of £38.90.

Weighell said there's no such ; wage, we have MEL-minimum earnings level.

The bloke ran up to the platform and shoved his payslip right in front of Weighell.

Weighell just looked down over his glasses and denied that such wages exist.

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PRESS Has share been any seab labour used so far in the strike.

NO! Management have assured the "Camden General" strike committee (which represents all manual workers in ine .... ALA Borough) that there will be no private scabs used.

This issue will become the most: explosive, however. At Brent transfer station there have already been violent clashes with scab cowboy lorry arivers 25E7A iL soiacaiiazinei