I NEWS HE GES ITLE ON !
are me ber 1977.
fight for the claim complete.
in the 1950s.
industry labour costs.
sacking NUM national negotiating committee decided, at a negotiating a productivity scheme.
Only last July the NUM confer- that will pur a little money in tbe seck a E135 basic wage by Novem- claim.
Also on Monday the negotiating were calls from interpretation" their mandate on overturn conference decisions until negotiat- not take from the nemaley and her the metine ch an scheme (by which he means one press la full of rumours of an THE GOVERNMENT's only concession on Its 10 per cent pay norm is to Increased productivity. Once again overy trade unionist will be confronted with this old weepon in the employers' armoury It was the 1066 Labour Goverment under Haroid:
Wilson which first made productivity dealing a central part of its wages offensive. The target was the shop Blewards movement which had won major wage gains Though devices Ilke measured day work in the car management with Goremment support attempted to jack up production with Hitle increase in The unity of the shop threatoned by attempts to increase mobility of labour on the shop floor, continuaily shifting around militant stewards and sections.
Today these aspects of productivity dealing remain As dangerous as over. But the effect on production is different. The depth of the economic crisis in Britain means that bosses are unwilling to produce more at the going rate of profit. So increased productivity means The whole tabour movement is committed to oppose unemployment. That's why it has to throw productivity deals as wail. The altemative is the light loe a 35-hour week as the first step to work-sharing with no loss of pay. With complete disregard for union democracy the average 20 increase for miners il meeting on Monday, by 8 votes to 4 to continue President of the South The Amongst other items on the table E135 basic wage NCB for an In an effort to bolster this, the now that auciag unuty then. 'There's swap increases in wages lor appose it.
bonuses.
miners to go scheme, floor was Any they accept locally negotiated pro ductivity deals. Emlyn Williams Walds NUM, told Sociiist Challenge opposed a ballot or productivity dealing.
"As far as we are concerned it's a ion of the union to fight for the Britain's coalright wing pits to fields always had piece-work up rank and te pressure they introwait Agreement, which meant that ev*An incentive bonus payment would destroy the structure establisbed by aur forefathers. And it means, of course, the Coal Board and the Government will be prepared to spend miltions in order to destroy the unity of the NUM by intro would vary from area to area or from pit to pit. We would lose our about E20. I'm opposed to the principle — if it were E50 T'd still Williams argues that a fight for the E135 basic wage is the alter. ALIC WAY HAMATE COE THICK I think it's the only positive way that trade unionists can fight, he says for basic wages and not incentive However much money the Coal Board dangles as a carrot to get the for an incentive two things are negotiated rio locally Pro ductivity deal would destroy the And any pro. ductivity deal will mean creased workload, fewer jobs and a boost to accident rates in the Earlier last week Artbur Scargill also advised the abcad with the C135 claim regardany discussion over schemes, and instead launching a fight around the pay claim. STRIKERS at the Dessouter factory in North London robbied the attempt to get the union to step up support for their 20 week strike for union executive refused to back the strike committee's call and products. planning setion of their own by calling mess pister strikers are outside the plant on 13 October.
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 22 September, 1977 AUEW executive last Thursday in recognition. However the
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flashpoints Productivity dealing
ence rejected productivity dealing miners pockets every week would return to piecework, and a means and instead called for the union to lead to a rethink on the hasic wage of contracting out of the obligat-
committee decided to 'examine for have a ballot of the membership to until 1966, when as a result of the the E135 claims, so putting off any something Mondays meeting did duced the National Power Loading ons on the incentive scheme are until after they have a better offer gry miner had the same rate for the
Desoutters mass picket called TERME