Sell-out!
Socialist Organiser1981 1981-08-27Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 15 →
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Sheffield City). "It's a sell-out, a cockup. Management's got all they wanted" , said one railworker in Sheffield on hearing the news of the deal that got the rail strike called off.
11% was awarded by the Rail Staffs Tribunal but BR said they would pay 8% plus 3% with productivity strings - ie. jobs lost and Sunday becoming a normal working day for many workers so as to 'cut' on overtime.
The unions demanded the full payment with no conditions and threatened to strike in support of this.
The deal was a typical sell-out. The agreement was that BR should pay the 11% (though 3% will not be paid till January 1982 - while back dated to August 1981)
and the unions agreed to conclude discussion on productivity by October 31.
BR has publicly stated that they don't regard the 3% as payable in January unless agreements are made by that date; though Sid Weighell and Ray Buckton have sold the agreement to their unions on the grounds that 'conclude' doesn't mean the acceptance of productivity.
The deal was accepted by both ASLEF and NUR Executives with only two voting against on each. And since BR decides whether or not to pay the 3% extra in Janwary 1982, •we've achieved nothing extra.
Fhis sell-out underlines the need for militants in the railways to turn the unions into fighting organisations to properly represent the interests of railworkers.
This means getting rid of the likes of Hissing Sid and Ray Buckton.
We can start by making sure that there are no job losses or worse working conditions and preparing for strike action in support of local resistance.
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by Rob Dawber and Mick Sidaway (NUR