SWAN HUNTER-THE SCABBING GOES ON wages" pretext of a "fair

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TO: Laurence Spar -OFFICIAL HOTEL PICKET Important developments are expected this week, the tenth week of the strike at the Metropole Hotel, Edgware Road in London.

The seven remaining strikers are continuing to mount a 24-hour picket with the support of other trade unionists, including firemen, and with visits from militants working in hotels as far away as Bournemouth and Edinburgh.

Pressure

The management, however are now claiming that the strikers are sacked. As we go now that the basic principle of reinstatement is raised.

Meanwhile it was discovered last week that the police have dropped all charges against a member of management who at an earlier stage knocked down in his car one of the strikers on picket duty.

Management itself is not showing the same magnanWORKERS The MetroDı he Metropole picket imity. On Wednesday 14 December the case is due to be heard at Marylebone Magistrates Court against Sadie Levis, one of the strikers, who is being evicted from her 'tied accomodation' by the management.

This shows the urgency of continued support for the struggle and for the picketing, in particular the mass pickets held every Friday evening.

The of the already to the claim under a 1946 Act is being used to dodge round the 10% pay limit and enable the government to turn a blind eye to substantial pay increases for fitters at Swan Hunters shipyard on Tyneside.

Swan Hunter management are hoping that a green light will be given by the Central Arbitration Committee for the payment of up to £8 extra to the 1,700 outfitters.

Though this will be less than the pay claim that has been the basis of the outfitters' three month work to rule, reformist leaders and employers hope it will be enough to procure an end to industrial action, and open the way for the building of the four remaining Polish cargo vessels at the yard.

Reallocated

other three ships out original order have been reallocated-one Govan yard on the Clyde, and two docks on Teeside.

Last week Govan's Communist Party-led stewards managed to get an almost unanimous endorsement for their reactionary decision to accept the cancelled Swan Hunter order, and its no-strike strings.

Complete bankruptcy This must be seen as an indication of the complete bankruptcy of leadership in the yard rather than апу inherent weakness of the workforce.

Conspicuously, the Stalinist daily Morning Star last Tuesday managed to avoid mentioning the Govan steward's decision to scab on the jobs of their brothers on Tyneside.

Exception

Instead it lyingly headlined "Govan's unity appeal" and reprinted StalinistR convenor Jimmy Airlie's statement with the exception of his announcement that the Govan stewards would accept the extra Polish ships.

The Morning Star even the nerve to claim that " shop stewards unanimously deplored decision taken by Bri Shipbuilders to reallor work during a dispute"

Meanwhile the ST Hunter affair has provi fresh impetus for efforts Boilermakers union lea John Chalmers to impos corporate system of barg ing to cover all British sl yards and all shipbuild unions.

Weaken and divide Stalinist and right » leaders in these unions h combined to do their besı weaken and divide the wr force in the industry.

Their moves to abolish existing pay structures anc enforce acceptance of strike clauses must be thre out and a principled lea‹ ship built to defend jo wages and conditions.