RASS TEGWU PLAN TO EXPEL THORNETT Cowley stewards

Scan page 1

Purposes Committee of the TGWU Oxford District Committee.

Although some newspapers have reported that the recommendation has since been changed to a call to ban Thornett from all union office for life, this has not been confirmed by any source within the union. A life ban is recommended however for Frank Corti, secretary of the 5/293 Branch and also elected deputy convenor in December.

This recommendation followed an original proposal from the Oxford District Anyone expecting Tory leader Margaret Thatcher to backtrack on that Cort should expelled.

These recommendations are to be considered at a TGWU Regional Inquiry to be held in Oxford on February 27 and 28.

Seven other militants from the Assembly Plant-against whom no specific recommendations have been revealed -are also summoned to appear at the Inquiry.

They include newly elected Assembly Plant convenor Bob Fryer-who ousted right wing extremist Reg Parsons in the December Tom Wh te, freshly as deputy convenor summoned. So are Pinnington and Andy two shop stewards ised by the company union bureaucrats in 1976.

Chairman Ivor Braggins, a stewa the Princess track, and O'Sullivan, a paint steward and chairman ( 5/55 Branch, are called attend. elected is also Dave Brown victimand by August rd on Tim shop if the on to And also included, though not involved in the earlier District inquiry is Tony Homer -also steward victimised in 1976. His activities as a delegate to Oxford Trades Council are cited as the basis for charges against him.

The recommendations and the conclusions to be considered by the Regional Inquiry stem from an "inquiry" carried out by the Oxford District F&GP last November.

By decision of the full District Committee the F&GP was given powers to conduct a classic kangaroo court. The same men picked those to be charged, laid the charges, conducted the "hearing" and recommended the sentences!

This move is unprecedented in the TGWU and marks a determined effort to stamp out the strongly developing alternative leadership within the Assembly Plant as reflected in the right wing defeats in elections for shop stewards and convenors.

Incorporated

A new left wing leadership in a plant the size of Cowley Assembly could begin to counter the trend towards incorporation of Leyland convenors into management.

This trend was vividly illustrated by the meeting two weeks ago at which the Edwardes plan was accepted jointly by 250 convenors and 400 managers and national union officials.

Some of those that gave Edwardes a standing ovation had already voted to recomOil and petrol tanker drivers-whose industrial strength if mobilised could have paralysed British industry-seem certain to be the latest victims of TUC efforts to uphold the 10% pay limit.

Just at the point that their overtime ban-despite its obvious inadequacies-was beginning to have an impact on production, the drivers have been confronted by a reworded offer that appears te concede marginal improvements but falls miles short of the claim for a f90 per week basic wage.

The fact that substantial votes have been recorded against acceptance of this deal shows that the possibility exists for a fight for the full claim.

But the drivers have never been offered the kind of firm and principled leadership necessary to win.

Their TGWU officials have dragged their feet to ensure the claim would be fought out after the end of the firemen's strike. TUC leaders have manoeuvred to head off claims by other sections of workers, using the 12-month rule and every trick in the book to ensure the tanker drivers acted alone.

This last week alone the sellout of the miners 90% pay claim has dealt a further blow at those sections seeking to break the pay limits.

25 YDS.OF THIS POINT OREACH SIDE