OUTRIGHT blackmail. That's the response of the Labour Government to the Swan Hunter workers. 1,700 outfitters have Swan Hunter shipyards on Tyneside since August. They are fighting for a rise of 27 per week which would give them parity with the boilermakers in the The Swan Hunter workers were promised their rise twe ago and it has been blocked by the Government This time the Government claims it would break che 10 per cent limit. Its response to the overtime ban amounts to outright war against the outfitters.
Swan had been given contract worth ES0 million. build seven ships for the Polish government. Because overtime ban, Swan, part of the newly nationalised British Ship builders, claimed they not guarantee to meet the The Labour Government, bureaucratically impose wages settlements from ahove. Furthese settlements would reflect the fall In living standards in tbe privat into sector, instead of the task of maintaining living standards.
Fisher's inaction on the claim the ground for Bassnet's plan. Neither can be fought merely on the basis of by themselves demands organisations that links hospital workers to social services, water authority workers and the of public JESU services. In NUPE, such grouping of militants is bolding its first national conference Dexr weekend in London.
The Campaign for Action in NUPE has already issued two bulletins demanding no retreat on the union's poicy for a ESD minimum wage, organisation of action to pursue the pay claim, and support for other workers in struggle against the 10 per Workers in public services bood to he told honestly that to win their claim they need to take national strike action around TOE ONTO LOSSE WILHE And that the best time for that shoulder ta shoulder with the fire fighters. try as Residents marched in support of the FBO on a demonstratio Called jointly by the ' Division and Hariogey Trades Council of the Labour Party or the TUC to walk zway from the firemen walk amay ourselves from th Creschery going on 21 che bao said candidate for Hornsey the iremen are left to slabd alone it is betrayal on our part. And it THIS ESCHON conference decisions against the I0 Use must leadership in che TUC just as we da been banning overtime at robably in collusion with the Polish government, then tow outfitters lo either work HUMBLED The Polish goverpment has something of a record where shipyard workers are con cerned. It was the shipyard workers Szczecin who launebed the nation-wide strikes against food price rises in 1971. Governient bids to repress the strike failed - only the party militias were prepared to ire on their fellow workers Eventualls the Prime Mini ster and First Secretary humbled by being forced to go the Saczecin yardi to discuss the demands with the workers It is a humiliation they have Dot forgotter Swan Hunter workers are also fighting back have they refused to bow down to the Government's blackmail, but the drawing office workers have threatened to seize plans for the ships.
OCCUPATION
The outfitters face difficult odds. If the Government succeeds in transferring the ships, there will be virtually no work lent in the yard. workers are already faced with redundancy, and they could be joined by another 500 next Orber shipyard workers should follow the example of 2TT1 Sonderland refuse to work on the ships, 1 Swan Hunter deciates redundancies, there should be yard and solidarity action throughout the whole indus Council Dick Bearne reported tha over LID0, and Haringey NAIGO had collected L500 for the strikers. Dave Challaner, free the executive b the FU, summed up the teeling TUC and the government won't sland in our way. We are going to *The North London Firemen"
Ediboilton Town Hall or Wednesday co extend support fo the arrike among
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in Pete Harney Trade Presiceng