FIFTY-five thousand jobs in South Wales are under the axe as a result of the rationalisation announced last week by Corporation.
Between 11,000 and 15,000 jobs are to go in steel with the closure of either Llanwern or the giant Port Talbot works, or the partial closure of both. The social consequences in Port Taibot and Newport will be horrendous.
Between 10 and 15 pits will close as a direct result of the steel cuts. taking around 10,000 miners' jobs. I inese poverty of the '30s will be a reality again for many communities in south Wales.
Hundreds of millions of pounds have been ploughed in to both works over the past decade. New furnaces, rolling lines, harbour - all now scheduled for the scrap heap — are a testimony to the lunacy of capitalism.
There has been a buzz of activity all week, with emergency meetings of regional union organisations, union MPs, and MPs rushing to the Tories. No one has thought yet to call mass workers' meetings.
the Steel cuts go inrougn, ine and a deep water Crushing to see It was Dafydd Ellis Thomas, Plaid Cymru MP for Merioneth, who made the most decisive statement of the week, calling for a action organised through the Wales TUC and supported by all Welsh workers.
Meanwhile the Labour machine calls for Port Talbot to be made a special development (again). Others annea ton Market funds. 1 ne Labour left and Communist Party call for import controls.
And having heard it all before, everyone sits back to shed a tear over the funeral of Corby and Shotton.
Wyn Bevan, convenor of the electricians at Port Talbot and a solid Labour left, gives a lot of ground to Thomas in this hallowed land of social democracy. 'I think for once he's talking a lot of sense, ' he says. about. We know what sort of response we are going to get from the government, and if the trade union leaders aren't prepared to give a lead to their members then the trade union movement in this country is well on the way to being finished.' Wyn Bevan expects events to move quite fast. Local and national TUC meetings are the corporation.
the and Steel wages and involved.
'It's no good farting jobs. Even pledged active support.
sign on the dole now. climbs.
the ‹ 0a go have to on the European will even be the campaign and practical solidarity presently taking place. The Transport Union has put forward a programme calling for: the dismissal of the BSC management; a stay of execution for all closures and job losses until 1982, and a public inquiry into the running of When this is rejected, the union is pledged to action Wyn Bevan says: "The date set for the Iron Confederation strike, January, should become a national strike for jobs, everyoouy gelling It will be a tremendous first step if 2 January should make that their first weapon in the fight. Only massive strike action will save these jobs.
The National Union of Railwaymen already given practical support to strike, by declaring that nothing will move into or out of the steel works, and the miners have commited themselves to action in defence of North Sea oil rig workers have But many are waiting for the lead from the steel workers. If we are to wait for Bill Sirs the ISTC general secretary, we might as well Sirs will fight over the 2 per cent offer, but STEEL union leader Bill Sirs with Keith Joseph told them to get lost last weekend Llanwern! in the wrong job.
The likes of Wyn, the steel has January " and tor the ISTC Wales militants just won't be.
Len Murray after Sir £1,000 to The right to access to the books of not over the closure. He says that as he didn't call a national strike over Corby wouldn't be fair to call one over Port Talbot or LOCO E Wyn Beyan takes a different view. 'ISTC members will have to tell Bill Sirs "If you won" give us support then we don't need it." If we cemovesome union leaders in then they can remove some union leaders in the process. any trade union leader is not prepared to figh over the loss of 52,000 jobs,' he adds, 'then be':
miners, otbe workers and Dafydd Thomas should be making plans now for mannis. This needs to be the priority for d following sieets instrial acon up to pre fist action edundancy date in March is a necess for uilding an active campaign to defend jol that defence is left to the Bill Sirs am co-thinkers on the TUC General Conso woons and mining valleys out wa to g