The seven weak old occupalion of South Oxford nursery came to an abrupt end on 28 April when the city councli sent in the ballifis lo evict the occuplers. Parents occupied the nursery in protest against the council's plans to close il, and kept it running during the whole perled of the occupation. Despite winning widespread support the council chose to lanore all opposition and close I! anyway. The avicied parents and their supporters are determined to light on, They are continuing the nursery In Decenber apreement was negotiated and signed. It gave parity of wages skilled workers and registered dock workers. It was to take effect on 1 January. interim payment of £1.20 was to be paid cach week starling! January, 1975.
have the invidious position of having skilled working in unskilled dockers as labourers less than Chern.
CONTAINER container nearing start operation 1978.
there wat get implemented.
CASIOTEE SOUTHAMPTON docks are at a standstill. workers stress that they have not withdrawn their labour or gone on strike, but they have prevented from carrying on normal working, thanks to the actions of management.
Below we print some of the comments made by a group of maintenance workers, all members of the Building Workers' Cnion, UCATI.
1974 an maintenance January the 1976. decided not to was implemented.
We have still not achieved with the dockers. ULTIMATUM shipwrights and taking home at least E15 unleas Jevels Towards the ent of 1977, a berth completion, due 1o 10 January was Allough negotiations the took place on manning levels, agreement. negotiations did parity agreement But the Dock Board turned The normal been man refused, Toudspeakers this down. The Board said it was against the pay guidelnes and offered 10 per cent from l Wily?
providing agreed to their manning levels container COLEHS a mais meeting, man 205 container berth until parity On 9 March, we received an ultimatum from management in our wage packers threatening not to pay any increases worked the container bertb, the 206 berth - according to their manning by March.
Chir annual agreement expired on 31 Dopember, 1977. It bas been honoured by us.
management who agreement by sending poople home. We have unanimously.
worked normally elsewhere in the docks — until the lock our - and were willing to continue | on the outstandine questions. I (shop steward, bricklayers). until a sertlement was reached Giles, Alter the lock-out we approa ched management to return to working rescinded their order, for us to 206 berth. was the Colike most disputes, management is offering us the their hels and ta hold our meetings. Normally they have to be held ourside the gates.
And although a major port of this country is at a standstill it has hardly been mentioned in the media. Why?
This dispute bas not been made officlal. Why?
Management propose a 10 increase January, 1978, with parity on 1 August 1938, if the Government permits. This is condir. Jonal on our acceptance of levels on 206 berth. But this is a worse position than helore!
UNANIMOUS A mass meeting De 24 April consider management's offer was turned down almost L. Walkers (shop steward, painters). M. Baxter. S. Hill C. Brownine, A. Billows, F B. Allen, by bus crews The Trades Council strikers support immediately, and helped to publicise the issues involved. The Labour Parly has been slawer. It was not so keen to publicise its opposition to cuts when Labour's clection manifesto was being discussed.
The TGWU needs to rally labour movement defence of public services which are under the Tory axe. This isn't an casy job. example, the full-time branch secretary would unhappy if ACAS became involved, so the whole dispute could be called off.
Platform — a rank and file group of transport workers has a good record in the union. Now should prest policies winch can combine winning the strike and pointing the way forward beyond just a defensire campaign.
SCHEDULES in addition to ensuring that the new schedules are withdrawn, the right of the union to vel all further schedules must be Jocal conference once this dispute is settled could dran up new schedules cod, if it involved labor hased movement organisations and public transport Consters.
This would lay the basis for an alternative to future Tory cuts and provide the sort of constion aims that could unite bus crews and bus users.
the books