Bl Convenors Back Strike Call

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t812 so far this month doesn't look too bad for the rund. But it points towards a shorttall of nearly t400 on our £2,000 target for the month and to avoid real financial trouble we need to be making up for the shortfalls of previous months, not adding to them. Socialist Organiser's efforts at the Labour Party conference - witin a dail; briefing and a fringe meet. ing - got a warm response from delegates and visit! ors, who put 143 into a collection on the last day of Conference. But that £43 didn't go very far towards the full cost of accommodation, paper, ink, fares, meeting rooms some £300 in all.

With the BL strike approaching, we'll have to make another major effort sending comrades round the country, extending our print run, building up big If you think what we do in industry and in the Labour Party is worthwhile, then help us to be able to do it! Send what you can - f50, f5, or 50p. Take a collection at your local Socialist Organiser meeting, Ask people who buy the paper regularly from you to Send donations to: Socialist Organiser, 28 THE threatened strike by. 58,000 workers in BL Cars looks likely to be on for November 1.

Last Friday, a convenors conference voted unanimously to back the strike call which has been made by the Joint Negotiating Committee, following Edwardes 3.8% offer.

On Friday of this week mass meetings in every plant will be asked to support the recommendation. A vote for strike action appears to be certain.

There has been á startling and quite unique display of militancy from from the top. At the Friday meeting Grenville Hawley, the TGWU right wing national officer for the car industry, shot down a suggestion from the EETPU for a secret ballot.

He told those who were worried that bonus payments being made in some of the plants would undermine militancy that the bonus would "melt like snow in the midday sun once the review îs over."

It is a very accurate statement but causes some confusion when it comes from someone with Grenville phone bills.

put in a pound or two.

Lars, London N8. Hawley's track record.

It certainly produced a militant response at Saturday's combine committee Delegates known in the past for their moderation were talking about "burning down the factories if we don't win" and "fight to the last drop of our blood"

Edwardes, meanwhile, is making his moves to try to contain the situation.

He has announced the closure of the Speke No. 1 plant which mainly makes body sub-assemblies and panels for the Mini, the Coventry Engines No. 1 October 19 marks a new stage in the fight to maintain services at St Mary's Hospital, Harrow Road, Paddington.

The workers in the plant and the Alford and Alder heavy axle plant.

Together these closures lose 2,500 jobs.

The management hand-out on the closures arrogantly points to the record of the plants concerned which, like MG Abingdon, have almost strike-free records.

They say that despite this 'The harsh economic facts of high fixed costs have led to the conclusion after a very careful examination of all other possibilities, that there is no alternative to their closure."

Closures The closures are not connected to the wage review in terms • of management planning. As far as BL are concerned, the closures would take place whether the 3.8% offer is accepted or not.

They have been tactically introduced now in an attempt to undermine thé strength of feeling for the strike.

•As far as BL workers te concerned, stopping the closures is tied right in with the review. If Edwardes successfully imposes the 3.8% it will be very difficult to fight the closures:

But if Edwardes is beaten . then those strikes could be used to stop the closures.

tawardes Is asu cunsiu- ada. in alan annaid. ering a company-run postal ballot, but it is unlikely that

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