Tapping a reservoir of militancy

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STOKE water workers were on strike today for the first time as part of the national water workers' strike.

After taking action in support of healih workers in recent weeks, water workers are in no mood to be messed about by their own management.

Graham Atkinson, GMWU steward, explained the background to me.

Two years ago the water workers agreed a pay deal to get parity with gas and electricity workers, to be achieved in three stages. The first stage should have been impiemented this year before the settlement date in November.

Now, water workers are being told that there is no money to implement the agreement. Union leaders recommended submitting this year's claim, but the rank and file threw this out, demanding : that the parity agreement be implemented first.

There have been six meetings with the Water Council over the year, but a refusal to negotiate by management.

Monday's one-day strike was intended to show the bosses that water workers are serious before the next meeting with the Water Council. If no agreement is reached it will go to a vote for further action.

Graham Atkinson told me that he thought it would have been better if the one-day national strikes in water, telecoms and steel this week had been combined.

As the build-up to industrial disputes continues, they'll end up being combined, whether the TUC likes it or not, he said. issues confronting NUT members and trade unionists as a whole, are so clearly a question of politics.

The politics of STA now stand clearly ao ine alternative for teachers to the backsliding right wing executive.

Details of STA are available from Peter Flack, I1 Nook Street, Leicester.

Resolutions of support for the Croxteth occupation should be sent to:

Phil D'Arcy, 45 Finch Road, Liverpool L14.

Organser Available irom SO, 28 Middle Lane, London N8 for 60p incl.

postage.

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