Double blow from BSC

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British Steel Corporation has dealt its 109,000 employees a two-fisted blow. According to BSC chief MacGregor there will be no pay rise for them in 1982. On top of that 20,000 more jobs will have to go.

The leaders of the main steel union, ISTC, complained that he had broken an agreement them to negotiate a wage rise in 1982.

But it should have been no surprise: it is the spineless performance of the ISTC leaders (as well as the leaders of the other steel unions) dat have demoralised the workers in the industry and made management more brazen than ever.

Earlier this year BSC decided to defer an already negotiated 7% pay rise until the summer. The ISTC leaders opposed this move, but MacGregor went over the heads of the bureaucrats, balloted the workers, and got agreement.

Now BSC is threatening to do the same again. It's straightforward blackmail: "Give up the wage claim or give up your jobs!"

Steel union leaders have responded by saying they will call a national strike unless the double threat is withdrawn. They are talking of invoking the Triple Alliance - the agreement on joint action between th e railworkers, miners and steelworkers.

Sid Weighell of the NUR responded by saying, "We would not go to the barricades on a minor issue, but on something like this, where such a threat exists, it would be used."

Hoovers and British Airways have also told their workers that their pay will actually be cut and that there will be no pay rises for some years. BSC is following suit. This is part of a new, more aggressive phase in the bosses' offensive.

MacGregor said that wage improvements might be conceded at local level if productivity deals involving even further cuts are concluded. This is one of the things that has stung the union leaders: together with the direct balloting of mens bers, this reduces the Iue of the central union leadership to little more than collecting dues and making ritual speeches against Tony Benn.

The Triple Alliance idea is an important one. The threats can be resisted.

But given the record of the union leaders - in particular the rail and steel leaders - the Alliance can only become a fighting reality if the rank and file of these unions organise.

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FOLLOWING the strike under BL's new nroced- Sncialict Areanica+ uculuta to walk out. As this year. 14), anger has also boiled over at the neighbouring Assembly Plant.

The Princess Honda tracks had been laid off during the Body Plant dispute refused lav-off TTA InT 6 KDA nat/ ure document, although the lay-off was in no way due to any action by the Assembly Plant workers.

On return to work on Wednesday 30th, section meetings were held on the Princess and Honda tracks, and most sections Honidad ta ..._11. wuvuna vigansel went to press, strong picket lines were being consolidated outside the plant.

This action shows the potential that exists in BL now for ripping up Edwardes' new document and going forward to win the full £20 claim 11... RZ

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at BL's Cowley Body Plant (see report, page