Figures published in this month's AUEW Journal reveal a startling development. At a time when unemployment is at its highest for over 36 years, more overtime than before is being worked in industry.
muion nours, or ine equivalent or sou,ou joos on a 40 hour week. This represents an increase of over three Rather than employ more labour and invest in offering are not yet high enough or firmly enough guaranteed, despite the best efforts of the Labour Government, the employers clearly do not feel confident enough to buy new plant. namer wey are trymgto squceze be manThe total amount of overtime worked has topped 14 Street, London WIV 3DG).
temporary incomes policy. In some low paid industries this actually makes overtime working cheaper than normal working [see The Attack on Inflation — who pays? by Chris Pond, price 50p from Low Pay Unit, 9 Poland While it is easy for union leaders to bemoan the fact that their members are working excessive overtime, this is in reality a cover-up for the policies they have foisted upon the trade union movement. With living standards falling dramatically due to the TUC-Labour Government wage restraint programme, it is very difficult for shop stewards to stop their members pressing for more overtime.
For the majority solutions as overtime to the problem of a declining value in the pay packet is the only way out. Unless the workers such individual Mid-Glamorgan NALGO ano a cano oate tor ine, unions NEC from the South Wales DisGovernment's latest twists and turns make it clear that OT WOrKING DeODIE very tar from their neans. the Chief Secretary to the Treas ury, Joel Barnett says that these measures will bring about a 'stab Tales . of what use or benent is that to working Even in the Government's own the maintenance of the • mese measure: are going to give them pienty o headaches. The leaders of the big industrial unions may still find it possible to canvass the idea tha cuts and unemployment. The cuts of 283 million in the Dudget over une nexi two year stand out like a sore thumb. lt' and school extensions are going to then there are going to b ess loos oroullaina workers.
The first reaction from people in is very strong prostamic CaucallOn always had StrOnG on Ine Welsh and this cut will have a serious speaking schools of which there are very few in South Wales -плоскілос last nail in the cotin. on tos or ncreased unem ployment and reductions in services, are the price rises in some of the most staple foods, such as
RED WEEKLY Z2 December 1976 3