Leyland attacks Black Union

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The management of British Leyland has refused to give union of black workers in South Africa - where Leyland employs 800 black workers in its subsidiary company.

Leyland says recognition would damage its business until "other progressive employers" in South Africa also begin to recognise black workers' unions.

The refusal was given in a letter to the TGWU and AUEW which had both urged recognition.

The decision did not, of course, stop Jones and Scanion from deepening their collaboration with the Leyland management by issuing their joint appeal against strikes in the company newspaper.

While we of course oppose the presence of a Leyland-owned workers by other such British and foreign banks and monopolies, we must support every struggle against these employers by the Africans themselves.

Leyland's scandalous attack on black workers fighting for their basic rights must therefore be given maximum publicity in IGWU and AUEW Branches in Leyland, and the union leaders forced to launch an active fight on the question.

A small but welcome step in the fight for active solidarity with South Africa's workers was taken last week when the General and Municipal Workers' Union called on its members in Pilkington's to black any orders normally supplied by Pilkington's South African subsidiary, Armour Plate Glass, where workers are now in dispute.

This black must be rigorously enforced and with decisive leadership could be the beginning of a wider campaign of militant solidar-

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union recognition to the Metal and Allied Workers' Unionin