speed-up the affecting 5,500 workers.
More than 250,000 jobs were ost 1n 19:0, accordins to tac Department of Employment ployment figures to more than 1 Simillion. Hand in hand with this rising unemployment, anotber ruling class offensive is in full swing, on productivity.
On Merseyside, large num bers of workers have taken Strike action in response to this WORKERS at Leyland's Standard Triumph factory at Speke Merseyside this week entered their 14th week on strike, after a management attempt to introduce a production lines.
HEALEY, former deputy convenor at the plant, explains the background to this dispute which is Union officials were due to meet Leyland boss-Michael Edwardes discuss the company's posed jab cuts. meeting was held at Speke after that attitude is perfectly clear: management's job is to put capitaliem to its best use, and if 30.000 process, then so what?
"The tanker drivers" time ban is in support of a per ceit pay claim.
involved. members of the Transport and General Workers Union which, at least on paper, opposes the 10 per cent norm. *The steel workers have soi far been offered only a miserly TOMMY Aux net cent increase pr British Steel Corporation.
Wednesday leaders of the Iron and Steel Trades Confedera:
BOI MEr 00G-10 answer to the BSC offer.
proA mass Edwardes at car hy the Commis This week is a vital one for millions of workers determined to seek a real increase in their living standards. Vital pay negoliations in a series oi nationalised industries co-incide with the start this Wednesday of an overtime ban which threatens to cut petrol supplies by over a third.
the only those Mobil are not drivers are representatives of OUTALIS rates of up to f135 remains Goverment are On give their leaders, *Gas workers have alroady rejected an offer of an 8.9 per CHRETIE discussions started between the leaders of the Gas Council and began Tuesday.
40,000 "The miners' claim for new La week National Coal Bourd and the the table.
Shaping •EDE local productivity deals which have been negoriated will split the lighting unity of the union.
The two sides met on Tuesday.
*Engineering workers meet employers represchtatives on Friday. An offer of a two and a half per cent increase has been described as "derisory" by union 10 per *Ruilway workers are clai ing increases of from 30 to 60 percent. Rail chiefs will try and deals involving mass redundan10,000 jobs have boen lost in Negotlations Other workers involved in nepotiations chis week include shipyard workers and warer workers, Hut in evers One ol these claims the vast majority of noion leaders invalved will be socking some compromisc formula or sham productivity deal so as not to appear to challenge the 10 per cent limit.
Thus, for example, altbough Ray Buckton, general secretary of the rail union ASLEF, bas said he remains opposed to the cent Lieuit, be has also staled he is wiline to accen productivity deals.
CUTS But even Buckton is a militant compared to Hugh Scanlon is one of the main architects of the 10 per cent bmut, and if ir isleft ta him engineering workers will face another cut in real wages this year. Neither is Bill Sirs, leader unicn leader with an appetite for struggle. In each of thes struggles, the crucial factor will and file members to foroe tbeir leaders to pursue the claims, and ensure that the struggle is nat lelt in the hands DE wOD buresucrals.
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plant in Edwardes' firing line
CONSC) NO MOR WAS: