ASLEF STOPS THE SUN: now fol all-out strike!

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FIGHTING FOR Call for lobour movement solidarity—p.3 Take a bundle two darling railwaymen succeeded only in raising still further the level of militancy.

injunction When Murdoch's lawyers sought an injunction on ASLEF leaders at Kings Cross, the legal case was resolved by the two members, unfortunately, agreeing to put the proposal to a mass meeting at Kings Cross that the blacking be stopped. (The branch secretary did so without consultation with the Socialist Workers' Party, of which he is a member).

But the proposal to lift the blacking was defeated massively at a meeting of over 300, with five votes Resolve This has strengthened the resolve of the traindrivers and their assistants.

But it has proved once more that the ASLEF Executive is determined not to escalate the dispute.

They refused to give the Kings Cross men legal facilities when the Sun struck.

And even after three weeks of getting nowhere in the ACAS talks, there is still no call to step up the action to an all-out strike - a demand made from the outset by many drivers, including the Scottish region.

A number of depots are operating a policy of non-cooperation, which amounts to a work to rule, and trying to escalate the dispute that way.

Two Kings Cross drivers have already been discipl ined for this, yet instead of focusing on their defence and developing the action, the ASLEF Exec is trying to persuade members to call off the non-cooperation.

In the case of Kings Cross, the Assistant General Secretary, Don Pallen, has failed in a bid to get the members to stop the non-cooperation, and there will be a strike on Friday 29th in support of the two disciplined members.

The feeling among ASLEF members for an all-out strike is very strong, but the Executive has to be forced to recognise and act on the mood of the rank and file.

There is support from many NUR members too, particularly the gu ards, who have taken unofficial action against the 'flexirosters' accepted on their behalf by Sid Weighell. At Kings Cross the NUR guards have called off their unofficial stoppage after reaching an 'agreement' with NUR officials and BR.

But this local agreement is not signed: it is not worth the paper it is written on if the NUR nationally agrees to flexi-rosters.

Odds

Elsewhere, however, more and more guards are taking a stand against Weighell's sellout, with unofficial strikes expected in the Southern Region and the Midlands. Weighell's stance of refusing to support the ASLEF action and sticking by his own treacherous deal appears increasingly at odds with the NUR Executive.

On Monday Weighell resorted to the device of "informal' Executive meeting to avoid the dang- an er of a vote to back the train drivers. while he continues to ust the press and ACAS to pressurise Buckton towards a capitulation.

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