[SUDDEN RUSH OF TGWU OFFICIALS Following the recent…]

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SUDDEN RUSH OF TGWU OFFICIALS Following the recent and accessful campaign of picketeg and demonstrations by rorkers at the Export Packing ervices factory in Banbury, oth British Leyland managesent and the T&GWU bureauracy are attempting to head iff the struggle.

Both were highly embarassed rhen EPS workers pinned the esponsibility for the withdrawal of be BLMC contract (which would ost 400 jobs) - where it belongs -in the collaboration of the trade mion officials and the BLMC participation" committees where he decision to destroy the jobs was aken.

IMPOSSIBLE After finding it impossible luring the first two weeks of the struggle to get a union official interested, things changed dramatically as EPS workers returned from their annual holidays last week.

First management announced that they had been involved in discussions with British Leyland and things were not so bad after all. The contract would now be withdrawn over the course of a year and not in the next few months as previously announced.

A few hours later, two TaGwu officials arrived on the site (with a national officer on the other end of a telephone) to say that they intended to defend the jobs at EPS and that all the demonstrations and militant action had been unnecessary!

From the reaction of EPS workers to these manoeuvres there seems little chance that the struggle can be defused in this way as the officials hope.

The first stage in the new Leyland time table is the withdrawal of the Allegro mechanical parts in October of this year throwing up 100 jobs. This is to be followed by the withdrawal of the Allegro body panel work in April next year, destroying a further hundred jobs, and culminating the withdrawal of the last Rovel contract in the middle of 1977.

NOTHING CHANGED

Workers who have spoken to -Socialist Press are clear that nothing has changed. The issue is the defence of jobs - not whether they go this month or next month.

The crucial fight must come over the first redundancies in October. If the battle is won on that, and the work retained at EPS, it can be won on the rest.

The danger now is delaying tactics by the officials. They are to organise a meeting with stewards in the BL packing plant in Cowley to which the work is being transferred.

This is alright but it must not be used as a delaying tactic to divert the campaign.

by LET SECRETARY TRICT ORGANISER - THOMPSO Photo: Camden Chronicle. tal workers stop work against cuts on 21st July.