11 weeks Out at Evans Litts

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"MORALE is high and we are still determined but the longer this goes on and the more people management get to replace us, the more difficult it is to see a victory," said Carmen Wootton when Socialist Organiser spoke to Evans Lifts staff at Leicester, now entering the eleventh week of being locked out.

Relatives of management being brought in to do the work of the sacked workers is just one of the problems the strikers have had to confront.

Crucial to their fight for reinstatement has been the role of the AUEW Engineering Section stewards on the shop floor. They have completely undermined the TASS workers' struggle by shifting deliveries to the plant and on occasions even driving lorries across the picket lines themselves.

Jack Carr, the convenor, has offered his services to management, in the shape of letter sent out to the management's suppliers, in which he is quoted as saying that the dispute is not official.

The AUEW District Committee instructed AUEW (Dinnington NUM)

TALKS between the National Union of Mineworkers and the Coal Board will resume on 25th November. This follows a unanimous rejection of the NCB's latest offer by the NUM's National Executive on 12th November.

The NCB's original the unions and cross-class Engineering Section members not to do TASS members' work but this has not been complied with as there is a shop floor worker in the office now.

The shop floor must immediately black all work being done by scab labour in the offices.

Management, following a now established national pattern, have employed a private security firm who have played a deliberately provocative role, telling delivery drivers that the dispute is not official and intimidating the pickets.

This strike breaking role has been physically and actively assisted by the local police. A phone call by management whenever a delivery is turned away always brings a flourish of fresh police activity. The police are keen to implement the Employment Protection Act and have threatened pickets with arrest for obstruction.

Just as serious for the workers is the Communist Party domination of TASS nationally. The "play it respectably" line characterises the local leaderoffer was put on October 6th and repeated on October 19th. The package presented was a £4.25 increase for gurface workers (lowest paid), §6 for face workers and f1 a week on the incentive scheme.

This worked out at about 5.2% on the basic rate.

The NUM claim decided at annual conference is for a 23% increase to bring surface workers up to £100 a week. In take-home terms the offer means about

Steve

ship's approach pute.

At the Novembe meeting of Leicester Sout GMC it was reported tha the workers may have t ask the local TASS ful timer Frank Hyde to sa vage what he can from th dispute in two to thre weeks time.

Scab

To prevent a comple defeat the office commi tee must immediately we come all the support the can get on the picke demand that the AUE Engineering Sectic District Committee instru all TASS work being ha dled by scab labour to 1 blacked and fully invol the sacked workforce the decision-making of t office committee.

The dispute can only 1 won initially by an allo fight at the Leicester plar not by relying on worke elsewhere.

Messages of support al donations are urgent needed and should be sent Mr B. Hickson, 42 EL field Ave., Birstall, Leiceste has already been prai enough by the capita press to warrant no furt comment.

It is absolutely vital 1 rank and file mir pressure the NEC to go the full claim and not:

accept a few more per ‹ on top of the 9% alre offered. If we another rise like the last year of 9.8% on b rates, then we are in fi further hefty drop in li standards.