-NALGO Unity of the Left Appeal Red Weekly spoke to Wyn Bevan, Convenor of the Shop wards Committee, and to om Lyons, swards, and asked them how the strike was going. Wyn Bevan:
"At yesterday's meeting, we had a unanimous vote that representatives from the Shop Stewards Committee were to be present in BOCCLASS when our national otticials negotiate with the BSC, even if it is 1o be only as observers to assist our officers on points of a local and domestic nature.
That decision was carried by one of the biggest meetings we have ever had in Port Talbot. There is more unity now than there has been since the strike stewards must made some impression their national officials, although they are still recognising the strike, ere amenable to setting up talks and were prepared 1o look further into the Shepcote Lane agreement which has already established the principle which the electricians are striking for. That eal, siened by national officals of the Amalgamated Union of Engincering Workers and the British Steel Corporation and by national officials of the electrician's EETPU, is now operating for all the craftsmen al Stainless steel works in Sheffield, but has been veniently "forgotten' by both the BSC and the ВЕТРЕ officials who signed it.
It is the Social Contract that Although the London election results for the National Executive of the National and Local Govemment Officers Association have not yet been officially announced, it is now known thal the two left candidates, Jean Goldart and Bob Ford have losttheir seats:
This le a new victory for the right wing in the unian who in the ast lew months have chalked up a series of successes. There has The virtual collapse of the overtime ban, called in protast against the cuts and agreed to at last The strike by 560 electricians at the Port Talbot steel works is now in its eighth week. The claim for recognition of new skills had its first hearing since the strike started when the national officials of the electricians union met them in Kent last week. Despite the lack of support from the national executive, the mass meeting which took the report back from the stewards was described as 'the best meeting we've ever had'.
WYN BEVAN these people are rememberIng. The problem with the Social Contract is that if you put in a wage claim you will breach it, and if you win your wage claim you will be within it. Wyn Bevan is well aware of this:
It is possible that we have could agree a claim within on for because of the way that not claims have been they ceded elsewhere BSC and especially in Port Talbot with the Techniclans. (The Technicians were categorised as Cirade 3 Foremen and given staff status for their increased skills). *But if it means we've got to break the Social Contract then we know that the Social Contract has been broken right across the country. So it is Just a matter of tacties in negotiations how we go about it." солTommy Lyons was a bit less guarded: *We have had the Social Contract rammed down our throats by Bernard Clarke (the local full time union official) before the strike was We've had it rammed down out throats Chapple.
Although have been Social Contract and have accommodated people in the same situation as we find ourseives In.
can't accommodate then the Social Contract has to go.
strike is a means to that then it is just unfortunate WC fight, it was thrust on us and we will respond to it."
The media has joined in the BSC's attempts to sit out the strike by giving it minimal coverage in the press. A great responsibility has fallen on the left to assist in combalContract ting strike. The money coming in and the Mastic response the strikers are receiving throughout Britain is a great encouragement to the strikers and they are very grateful for it.
The stewards will be speaking as far north as the Ravenscraig works in Scoo land Wyn Bevan, before rushing off to another meeting explained:
In the main, the broad support that we have bad has been generated trom the left wing of the trade union movement. The left wing is the most active part of the movement and that is the part that will always rally to a cause like * The salien if stand any attike action in Scotland March when seven NALGO memthe action slopped. obliged and the NALGO leaderstep prelemed to obey et netions at does rather e an who had voted overwhelmingly in The scaling down of actior againe: the cula. In January 1976 any cule, but in January this year this was whittled dowr to stress His a far cry from 1974 when a Socialist Workers Party's Will Fancy and the Communis: Parly's is their ernment to mittee are. a week old.
loop-holes found in the give us, if they LES And if our did not pick the and would be further disputes.
that 15 enthu meetings vacancy eleclion for London It is in response a to these successes . On tap of this Executive and Speakers at the supportmeeting or ours in Port Talbot.
As for the right wing, it apathy that bas allowed the Labour Gorbe SOON situation it finds itself in.
But I'm very pleased with the support we have had from the left, and I'm sure all the shop stewards comHe left, leaving Tom Lyons to give his personal views on some of the broader lessons from the strike. Tom had just returned from Manchester where he was very impressed by the united meeting which Contract.
Red Weekly supporters had been prominent in building.
'One of the greatest things that emerged from Manchester wasn't only the support they were able to but was also several left groups seeing our strike as a central feature, cooperating with cach other. And this came home in the public meet ing with the assurance that the joint work between them would be maintained used to and further support for like This is a marvellous feature of the meetings that we are doing — on top of the support that we able to contribute to the closer working of the left groups. | was discussing with some of the people place respectively in the eight DILECE nevertle that Lone mee these tea to earth in London active in London NALGO who advocate a socialist though the alterative to the policies of the richt wing to meel and discus:
againet the offer sive or NALGO's right wing and Labour leader by The slice or the right. But one of the TacTors which are where the Dstnict elections nai TATE SEES OR THE TATUTO six WIFE up there, and they were telling me about the new Socialist Challenee, which is coming ou Unfortunately could not go back up to Manchester to their public mecting, but I did tell them thac I would go back up in my personal capa city to speak at a meeting.
to wish it well, and to call for support for the paper.
Strikers are aware that they are up against Government policy even if they think their pay claim is within the Social Hut the support from the traditional lefts in the Labour Party and the official Communist Party has been slow in coming forward.
"No. the resistance to the Labour Government coming from the unions directly employed by them healthwarkers and so on NUPE, NALGO, who are facing a much harder tight than we are - they do not have our industrial muscle They are coming forward lo support us and emerging from this is a marrying together of the movement OPEN LETTER TO THE LABOUR MOVEMENT FROM EETPU SHOP STEWARDS COMMITTEE BRITISHSTEEL CORPORATION, PORTTALBOT Fellow Trade Unionisis, We, 560 members of the EETPU on strike against the BSC, Port Talbot, appeal for your assistance.
We are now in the eighth week of a bitler struggle against a reaclionary employer who rafused to negollate our just claim with the elected shop stewards.
The response and interest in our strike has been tremendous. It is heartening to us that the rank and ille have rallled to our cause, and we thank you.
We ask you for further assistance to actively, morally and financially support us. Our resolve is as determined now ae on the first day of the strike. Help us to maintain this resolve.
We have produced our own detailed Strike News.
Supples can be requested lor your distribution.
Yours fraternally.
Bill Curtis (Secretary of the Stewards Committee] 23 Hawthorne Avenue, Bagian Eslate, One slate was of a 'Broad Left' type, dominaled by the Commu while the other was that of Naige Action which the Socialist Workers Party 15 I00 major Ihu8r8 HONE CASINE made same concessions to NAG by including two prominent NA reciorocale and scorned an ole from the 'Broad Left' to discuss Not that the CP was tree from this typa of behaviour. It was the WOL DRENCHA COUL COME THOU LESTE AXCUSE MAE ENC NAG platform includad support Although the 5WP were sectarian which I hope will eventually assist those in weaker industrial position - but whose fight is just as important, if not more important, than ours. *Ours is just a matter of wages, theirs is for very quality of life And because in our dispute we have had a response fros them, we are more appreciative of the situation they find themselves in As the struggle continues, then this coming together will increase.
And will this sort out the Labour Government?
*Well, If the Labour Government is standing in the way, It has to radically change its pollcies to overthe situation. would have to bring in new socialist policies to overconse the problems -and socialist policies are the only way that the problems can he overcome lastingly. So if the present crew are not fit or able lo do it, then it must mean changeInterview by Gordon Gibson 38888333388 ware only too happy to have this axmuse to leave NAG But whatever the precise rea son for these divisions as in London points out, benefit the ruling class and its reformist servants In the labour movement THIS IS CODECISIS CONCHOHHI VIRA ot what the letlerdescribes as the mal light the cuts and the socia The need for the left in NALGO So com cel the nant wing pren ment is abricus. hoped that the proposed meeling on 4 securing the type of left unity
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ganlsedin Port Talbot at the and of last month. Wyn Beran Is seated at centre of the platform. Bornard Regen — Invited From the Soctallet Teachers Alllanco — Is seated eecond from right