Dutch pav battle

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The going has been rough lately for the officials of Holland's major trade union federation, the FNV.

Militancy on wages has broken out into large unofficial strikes against contracts signed this year between union bureaucrats and the employers.

The major action so far has been in the port of Rotterdam. Five weeks ago, tugboat crews struck over a new wage demand.

Witch-hunt

They received no support from the FNV-in fact the union bureaucrats tried to witch-hunt the action, pointing to one of its leaders who had already been expelled from the FNV because of his militancy and opposition to the union The employers then went on to the offensive gaining injunctions against pickets through the courts. The judge argued on the basis that the pay demand could not be justified. This ruling led to an extension of the action, with 7,000 dock workers coming out in protest alongside the 500 tugboat workers.

The dockworkers then developed their action by submitting a new pay claim themselves, for consolidation (£12), early retirement and longer holidays. This in turn was attacked by the union bureaucrats, on the grounds that the employers could not afford to pay.

Unofficial action continued and even spread brietly to Amsterdam.

• Rejected Moves by the FNV officials to negotiate a compromise were heavily rejected by the workers. Strong mass meetings ten days ago , voted to continue and develop the action.

Faced with the solidity of the strike, the FNV bureaucracy was driven once more openly onto the offensive. Last week the bureaucrats again attacked both groups of strikers-this time for using intimidation' on the picket line where a confrontation with scabs had reached an advanced stage.

The next day saw a battle between the strikers and riot police outside a container depot and 19 workers were arrested: This led to a demonstration by more than 1,000 strikers outside Rotterdam police HO, demanding the release of their arrested comrades.

The militancy and unity of the strike has caused massive problems for the FNV bureauthey are.

The lessons of the Rotterdam dock • strike will stand before other sections of Dutch workers as they come forward in turn on the wages movement.

As we go to press there are renewed reports that the strike has been ended by a collapse of the unofficial leadership into giving instructions for a return to work.

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cracy, forcing them to expose themselves as the real traitors