"THE settlement will be a inspiration for organised • workers throughout Britain and throughout Euroре.' These Engineering Union president, Terry Duffy, and for once he is dead right.
Confederation of Industry has been leading a carpaign to employers against reduction in the working week. By winning a 39 hour week the engineers have cracked that common tront.
Other workers will have to prise open that crack to win a 35 hour week.
This demonstrated the depth of support among members for a reduction in hours.
the failure of the leaderships to call an all-out strike, the action remained solid costing the employers over £2 billion in lost sales. Dangerous But Duffy's deal falls far short of WAS possible and needed. It contains dangerous and unnecessary employers.
The settlement covers four years, including a reduction of the working week to 39 hours in 1981, and one week extra holiday. Negotiations on the minimum wage rate will take place Local implication there will be no talks on reducing hours for four years. This is the Federation claim the harmony through difficult period of recession ahead of An additional weakness in agreement the inclusion commitment the increasing By Raphael de Santos THE DUFFY and Chapple sell-out has been a major blow to the strike Ferranti's Edinburgh factory, now in its ninth week. But despite this, workers are continuing their action for a 25 per cent increase in pay.
A lew weeks ago al a Labour Pie Biant, anti-cuts rally. Willie OI Edinburgh Trades Counand a shop steward at Python Peeble engineering. talked abour the need Tor solidarity within the awar movement on even sorting ilais struggle.
The scien was rectiad a rapturous applauTestore or soidarity •sibie around ATMS ILE: =-:
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Tie derridans union paying strike acialist Challenge 11 October 1979 greal tivity.
the cost of maintaining the productivity, are created.
last year with the same result any objective of creating achieved.
General and unIon retreat on that principal.
A far greater victory employers beginning to profitable firms what was LU • LIC union leaders.
The fighting employers, the but by Confidence Employers"
means the a decisive breakthrough to national deal.
Ali IN all, the of producbenefit, because it isn't a national strike.
Bailey's, a building
firm, has been driving through picket lines at one Ferranti factory to build the extension demanded by Ferranti's expansion in micro-processors.
But all the news is not bleak. The white-collar section of the engineering The settlement aims to minimise reducing by same levels of meaning no new jobs The Post Office Engineers made a similar agreement - the jobs According to David Basnett of the Municipal Workers Union, a 35 hour week would mean 750,000 jobs being created. Deals like the engineers have concluded are a could have been won. There were real signs of the give, GEC talking of leaving the EEF when the dispute was over, and some more agreeing settlements. But the full strength of was never used there was no national strike call from the strength of the engineers was not tapped to the full, despite the agreement with the fight for shorter hours will continue in engineering.
The membership go back to work full of confidencethat their action won on hours.
Unemployment is going to shoot to 2 million and higher over the next year. Local negotiations are always used 1n improve on the the chances ot no struggle in engineering for four years look very slim. Duffy may well be able to claim somè credit for winning 39 hours, but his will not be a quiet life.
One thing is certain: if the labour movement had shown solidarity this strike would have been won by now. Certainly, the Ferrworkers are very receptive of support. Last week, copies socialist challenge were sold on the picket lines. Labour Party conference lobbiers Joint Shop Sle Chide to 2olg one Parhside Contra
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us! Commitment
Ferranți still out