Time to stop TUC talks h Thatcher wIT

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ON December 16 the Transport and General Workers' Union will be putting a proposal to the TUC's employment policy and organisation committee calling for an end to trade union participation in the National Economic Development Council ('Neddy').

Not before time, you may remark.

Moss Evans reckons it would be hypocritical' of the trade unions to sit down with the CBI when they are supporting Tebbit's anti-union proposals. Has there ever been any doubt that the CBI has more in common on at with the vicious anti working class Tory government than it could have with the interests of the working class? Interests that the TUC is supposed to represent.

However, better late than never.

But what abdut all the other committees and boards that the TUC General Council members sit on with the Tories? Between them, 34 of the 41 members of the TUC General Council share over 100 Government appointments.

Many members sit on the boards of various state-owned and nationalised industrTHE 13 week dispute at Evans Lifts, Leicester, widened significantly this week with & 120-strong mass picket called by Leicester Trades Council in support of the sacked staff.

Important support on the picket came from four senior stewards from Dunlop Polymer Engineering, where 650 TGWU members have recently gone back after a week-long strike in defence of a sacked worker who is now suspended on full pay.

l'our AUEW-TASS members who were made redundant from Cannon and Stokes after a long strike carlier this year were also on the picket.

The isolation which afflicted the struggle at Cannons must not be repeated in the Evans dispute, which is almost a carbon copy of Cannons.

Then is now, the AUEW Engincering Scction continued to work and crossed the TASS pickets. ies - such as British Shipbuilders, BP, British Airways and Remploy Ltd. These are run on strictly capitalist lines _ to make profits. How do the TUC General Council members represent the interests of the working class on those?

There are also General Council members on ACAS, the government's conciliation service, which is used time and time again to sell out workers' struggles for better pay and conditions.

The TUC's withdrawal from the NEDC, which is basically about planning capitalist industry | better The TASS no.14 Divisional Council have called on the NEC to organise a national campaign in defence of the Evans workers.

'We are circulating our cortesponding members in this division to call for support' said Mike Philbean, 'as well as TASS regional offices and local authorities to ask them to have nothing to do with Otis Elevators, who have recently taken over at Evans' A major step in this direction has come from the London metropolitan district council of NALGO, who have asked their members not to cooperate with Otis. They have sent a resolution to their NEC urging instructions be: issued to all NALGO branches not to cooperate with Evans Lifts, Otis Elevators, or associated companies and products.

* Liquid oxygen supplies: ; have already been from the bosses' point of view, would be a welcome break from the policies of collaboration with the Tories that the General Council has practised up until now.

But it won't be enough. It should only be the beginning.

As long as the TUC continues to work with and discuss cooperation with the Tories and their representatives, it is continuing to sabotage rank and file workers' fight against the Tory government.

Thwaites by Stevi by Stevi stopped by 24 hour picketing. Effective picketing must be maintained, stopping all vehicles to get information as well as to prevent deliveries. The BOC stewards in all depots supplying Otis companies should be asked to black Otis deliveries.

Blacking action should -also be taken by teade unionists against Smiths Haulage of Leicester, Macreadys Instant Steel of Rugby, and Delsons of Avechurch, Birmingham.

The mass pickets will be from 7am onwards every Monday.

Messages/Money: B.

Dixon, • 42 Elmfield Ave, Birstall, Leicester. Cheques payable to Evans Lifts AUEW-TASS staff fund.

Bulletins and collection sheets from Evans Lifts dispute, c/o 74 Highcross St, Leicester.

Speakers from S. Goddard, 74 Highcross St.