Robinson fight puts AUEW EC

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Not needed: another jamboree of standing ovations The collaboration of AUEW leaders in the victimisation of BL combine committee chairman Derek Robinson has brought a wave of revulsion from the membership in branches across the country.

A staggering total of over 300 AUEW branches have condemned the Executive's sell-out of the struggle. The number that have supported the Executive barely reach double figures.

Over 100 branches have now endorsed a resolution originally passed by the Longbridge-dominated Birmingham Northfields Branch which states:

"This Northfields Branch of the AUEW censures the AUEW Executive Council for: 1) Failing to defend one of their leading" shop stewards, Brother Derek Robinson, who was victimised by top BL management in a completely unconstitutional manner, confirmed by the local fulltime officiat Brother Benson.

2) For failing to defend the most basic hard won rights of their members-the right to free speech.

3) For failing to support . the thousands of members *who had taken industrial action in defence of that right, to make their strike official in spite of the unanimous full recommendation of the Birmingham West District Committee.

4) For dividing the trade union movement by instructing their members to return to work by crossing the official picket line of another union.

Disrepute.

We believe the Executive Council has brought our union into complete disrepute and we therefore call on the General Secretary to UNION hold an immediate ballot on the removal of the entire Executive Council as per Rule 15, para 5."

Were this resolution to be endorsed by around 250 AUEW branches (10% • of the total), General Secretary Boyd would be obliged under rule to hold the ballot on whether to remove. the entire right wing Executive Committee.

Major blow

Irrespective of whether this ballot won the necessary two-thirds" majority, this would strike a major blow at the authority of the right wing.

Meanwhile, the uncritical reports in Socialist Worker are to be believed over 500 delegates have sought credentials for the national conference to discuss the Robinson case, due to be held this weekend.

There is no doubt however that this conference will be do minated by the Party of which AT. THE Robinson is himself a leading member. The CP has intervened to oppose resolutions condemning the AUEW Executive for the sell-out, and encouraged Robinson to tour meetings speaking as if action to win his reinstatement is a foregone conclusion.

Yet the AUEW leaders have made it clear that their "inquiry" report will not even be produced until the end of January. And BL chairman Michael Edwardes has dropped a broad hint that he already knows the report will criticise The chances seem to be on a deal being cooked up that will get the AUEW leaders off the hook while leaving Robinson stripped of his elected trade union position.

Conflict The struggle for official action throughout BL to force Robinson's reinstatement as convenor must therefore be prepared in I REPEAT, NOT AN OUNCE OF STEEL WILL BE MOVED UNTIL THE STEEL STRIKE IS SETTLED! WE IN THE N.U.R. DONT PUSSYFOOT WITH THE BOSSES!

NATIONAL STARTE CONNICK.

A BAN ON RECRUITMENT: THAT MEANS EVEN MORE UNFILLED VACANCIES! WELL WHAT THE HELL?.

WE'VE ALREADY AGREED TO 12,000! BUT HEAT'S THIS-NY 12 BONUS? THAT COULD MEAN TROUBLE. conflict with AUEW the It would take such a struggle : no way forward for Sunday's conference to be turned into yet another jamboree of platitudes and standing ovations like that held in Birmingham Town Hall only days before the AUEW sell-out.

Instead, attention must be turned to means of linking the bitter hostility within BL to the company's insulting 5%-with-strings pay offer to the struggle to defend trade union organisation through the reinstatement of Robihson.

And mass lobbies must be aimed at the AUEW Executive to maintain the pressure for all out official strike action.

The February 18 general strike called against the cuts Lase A la co Yorkshire ' Dy Ine› soum тогкяше Association of : Trades Councils is gathering a considerable body of support. and Shefield shop stewards committees are expected to back the call, which is explicitly in opposition to TUC attempts to forestall action until May 14-when many of the cuts will already have taken effect.

This important initiative must be miet he cinnarted as the hasic for further strike action and occupations to stop the cuts.

Meanwhile there are signs that the conference called by the Stalinist-run Liaison Committee for the Defence of Trade Unions on January 26 will bring together large numbers of militants looking for a lead in struggles against the Tories.

No such lead can be expected from the platform of the LCDTU-but militants should attend the conference where possible, bringing resolutions calling for concrete action to defend union rights and defeat the Tory offensive.

WHAT WAS ALL THAT?.) OH-ER, JUST A PEP SHOUTING TOUR MOUTH YAN TALK FORTRE LADS, SIR OFF AGAIN SIDNEY? 271AT JAKOIT WADDYA MEAN TROUBLE"?

SHUT UP T says: £60 •NOW NUPE NUPE• theLow says: allout against PHOTO: Ian Mackintosh, IFL Paid Low pay demonstrators last winter

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Support for - Feb 18-

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