Tructor August increase of are to be OWn union the union lea fingering a dozen militants by name and alleging that they and others almost ransacked the those Clearly this leadership means to stamp on any attempt to work extend the industrial action. Signs Saturday's conference will need to reject the deal and already discuss how to form a national committee which membership's committee the alans such picket line at the Caterpillar WATTS Glasgow when hundreds of police tried to force a path for management last week, reports The size and militancy of the pickets supporting the produc tion workers" claim for a E24 across-the-board increase escalated when the police were called in on 6 September John Gillan, a Boilermakers member at the plant, explained to Socialist Challenge how the dispute started:
*We decided for strike action in sungorl of our cam on 1° The company asked Tor a deferment imniving ina there'd be a productivity deal.
We were supposed to have a mass meeting on the Tuesday to day before we heard what it A time-keeping bonus that would have given 4 top-rate and the conditions were so lough it would have been impossible lo TWO-THIRDS of the 1,800 strong workforce at Garrand in Swindon — a subsidiary of the multsnational firm Pesses mude redundant. reports ED WALLER.
They have been given 90 days notice after months of rumours and short-time working plant at Blunsdon is to close altogether. The majority of affected are women, many of whom do part-time point towards secupution, and action is afoot to slop any movement of machinery. As a spokesperson for the joint stalf put it: яге dedermined that the farrico men of the Plessey organisution "We were so appalled wi didn't wait for meeting. We all walked out straight away.
APEX and TASS. two of the white-collar utions al the plant, told tbeir members not to cross the picket line that was immediately sct up. ASTMS, the supervisory staff union, refused to support the strikers.
John Gillan added: "ASTMS said they would go back in if they bad free access. In other words, if there's cough police to ger them in.
That's happened on Wednesday of ast week wher police confronted 200 pickets become larger and larger the local labour movement Violence occurred wlien police attempted to Ibove a massive picket out of the way The strikers are calline for more help on the picket lines, convinced that mass picketing is the bes way to win thei local trade unionists to fury, reports DAVE ASHCROFT, delegate to Wolverhampto and Bilston Trades Council which organised a 4,000-strong through the town on Monday.
Over the past two years there have been more than 7,000 redundancies in the WolverATTENTEn A further 5,000 job losses are procee me neur are apart from the thousands that will be put out of work if the closure of the steet plant goes Members of the transport, WBCCERS and Civil Service unions joined Monday's march, together with a large number of the Bilstoo steel WHEREIS Atthe rally which followed a member of the Iron and Stee Trades Confederation execu tive called for support for the programe of action which had been distributed on the march by Socialist Challenge supporters.
It calls for an alternative plan for the steel industry, work sharing, a shorter wock and full nationalisation.
The programme aiso points to the importance of huilding the industry to stop lay offs Lucas plan on TV "We've always done it this way. haven't we?! is the title of two ITY programmes on the plun drawn up by Eucas Aerospact workers.
The fucts, on Tuesday, 19 September, 11.30pm, Then the debate, the following evening at the same time.
Socialist Challenge 14 September 1978 Page 5
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Saving jobs at Plessey