workers.
Three weeks British Shipbuilding put in their bid when they said that anything up to 10,000 jobs had to go.
Michael Edwardes, head of British Leyland, has outdone Shipbuilders. A total of 25,000 jobs will be lost in the next two years if Edwardes has his way.
Both Leyland are part of the engineering industry in which 42,000 people lost their jobs last year.
That is one reason why engineering workers, in common with many others, have been demanding a 35 hour week: and taking strike action to back that demand. Their argument is simple. If capitalist economic anarchy and management's mistakes that less work is available, then what is available has to be shared out with ago the bosses at But now even British Shipbuilders and industry. mean right-winger competative model range', right wing Daily Telegraph reports that Leyland's "technical triumphs' were badly exploited' by ment. None of this is the fault of the shop floor workers. They have every right to say, cut hours, not jobs.
The second demand of the striking engineers is for & national minimum rate. Whilst many get more due to locai agreements the minimum rate is important in defending the organised sections in the engineering Each year they have put forward these demands, and each year the employers have rejected them. Each year the union leaders have forgotten the demand for shorter hours, and accepted far short of the minimum rate demanded. Now this year even Terry Duffy forced to take action.
to blocked at the manage- Committee.
least has. been pay, cut the hours.
drop the demand for an £80 minimum skilled rate were only just AUEW. National The employers are trying to sit it out, hoping the rank and file will start drifting back to work thinking that the gains are not worth the sacrifice. The best way to strengthen the action is for the rank and file to press ahead now with action on their local claim at the same time as the national claim is being fought for. Regional and area meetings of engineering stewards to unify the strikes are needed.
The leadership of the stewards in Leyland must be taken to task for its failure to prepare a fight. They have let thousands of jobs go already. It's time there was a national fight in Leyland. It's time Leyland workers said: share the work with no loss of