IT JOBLESS YOUTH What the unions should

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of YOP GIVE US A FUTURE young workers' scheme and in the press releases on the new 'training' schemes. Both come neatly after the 'Jobs Express" and the plan" demonstration on Sunday. * The adverts appeared in London papers on Monda! 30th, and on the 2nd Decémber the Guardian's headlines ran • 'Training for all in £900 million jobs The Tory government is not insensitive to the touchy nature of youth MANY trade unionists are disgusted at the YOP cheap labour schemes, which now • involve 550,000 youth. They know only too well that they are cheap labour schemes, which can only be used against the interests of both the youth and themselves.

The Manpower Services Commission, the direct employers of YOPs, say that in any industrial dispute YOP workers are to be 'impartial"

Begging That implies that if there was a strike the YOP workers would have to work.

This sums up what the YOP schemes are: both a reservoir of cheap labour for the Tories and also a potential scab force, to be used to break strikes. They are also a handy replacement for workers who have been made redundant.

So what can unionists do?

It is not widely advertised - especiall / when Len Murray is on the by Jean Calder unemployment: Thatcher Is quite prepared to make both political and financial capital out of it.

That is precisely these new "training" plans are about. 'Jobs for Youth' platform begging Thatcher to 'Give us a future" -but the whole existence of the YOP schemes relies on the support of the trade unions.

If they withdrew support, they could cripple YOPs. Rather than do that, 'leaders' like Duffy, Murray and Gormley would sooner appear in all the daily papers with the CBI actually promoting YOPs.

Disciplinary

The unions have made no real moves to challenge YOPs, or to unionise YOP workers. They seem to be increasingly scared of the militancy of the YOP workers and only the T&G and NUPE are recruiting.

They recruit on very minimal programmes that demand more holiday, a 'wage rise' and of course a disciplinary procedure. * NUPE only offers part-time status at the moment - adding insult to injury for YOP workers already sick of working 40 hours and being paid as part-timers.

If the unions nationally will not take a lead, it is the job of trade union and Labour Party activists to take up the fight.

That means finding out where they work (many of them work on their own in factories etc) and visiting YOP schemes; and persuading them to join a union. If there are any YOP workers in your workplace, pass a resolution refusing to work alongside non-union labour while attempting to get them in the unions.

Concessions

The YOP schemes can be exposed for what they are through independent trade union inquiries; and these in turn can lead to a withdrawal of any co-operation with the MSC by Trades councils, union branches and Labour councils.

Trade union branches must be made to play a leading role in establishing unions in YOP workplaces by showing the YOP workers their strength and not their weakness and ignorance.. After all, how many adult workers would work for a wage of f23.50 a week with no rights and a two• year. wage freeze?