[AS a first step in their campaign, British…]
Socialist Organiser1982 1982-06-10Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 14 →
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AS a first step in their campaign, British Rail is attempting to isolate ASLEF with a tactical surrender to the biggest rail union, the National Union of Railwaymen, by shelving plans to shut and run down some of its engineering workshops.' Thanks to the treachery of NUR leader Sid Weighell the British Rail bosses' plans, outlined in brutal detail in the Sunday Telegraph (June 6), could succeed. After BR postponed the workshop closures at Horwich and Shildon, Weighell announced on June 7 that he wanted to negotiate a pay deal for the NUR separate from ASLEF.
The British Rail Board has offered a 5% pay rise to both ASLEF and the NUR - delayed five months and conditional on ASLEF accepting flexible rosters.
ASLEF has rejected flexible rosters but planned no action. Until last weekend the NUR was talking of industrial action from June 7 over pay and the workshop closures.
The NUR leadership Has accepted flexible rosters. But the NUR sectional conference of the workers most affected - the guards has voted 229 to 29 to reject flexible rosters and to call on the full NUR conference to reverse the Executive decision.
This vote - in defiance of attempts by Weighell to stop the guards' conference discussing the issue - shows that there is a basis at rank and file level for a united fight.
The Sunday Telegraph explains: 'British Rail is preparing for a head-on clash with the militant train drivers' union ASLEF in a final bid to bring order from the industrial chaos in the industry...
"British Rail has been told that there would be strong Government backing for a trial of strength with the train drivers even if it means lengthy strikes and disruption, with all the misery it will inevitably cause..
And the Telegraph quotes NUR lefi-wingers who "fear that when the battle with ASLEF is over, British Rail will again turn their sights on to the NUR for the closure programme "An NUR spokesman said, 'There is no way that this union wil ever be used as a weapon with which to blackmail a fellow trade union'."
Clearly Sid Weighell thinks different. The task is now urgent for NUR members to call him to account, and for railworkers of all unions to campaign for an all-out strike on united demands for an unconditional pay rise.