POEU to wind up fight?

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THE Post Office Engineering Union's industrial action against privatisation of British Telecom looks like being reduced to a token or ended completely.

The industrial action has been endorsed at three separate full conferences. The union membership specifically rejected the approach of the old right-wing majority on the National Executive Committee, confined to token action and publicity. They elected a new Broad Left majority.

But as we go to press, the NEC will be discussing a formula for the return of work of all engineers suspended or on strike except for those locked-out in International Services (which is being maintained by management scabs).

The formula has been worked out by right wing general secretary Brian Stanley with British Telecom management. There are, however, some conditions attached which may block an agreement or a return to work.

Ten London branches have called a meeting, inviting every branch in the country to attend, in an attempt to prevent a sellout. This is to be held in London by the Executive to de-escalate the action in the inland regions compounded the errors made over Mercury at the [latest union] conference [which endorsed an NEC decision to obey a court injunction against industrial action over Mercury]. Effective action was to be revoked merely on the basis of cost.

"If the action is costing too much, then the Executive should have gone to the members for finance. Effective action must be maintained"

The broadsheet also comments on the collapse of some of the Broad Left executive members over the injunction. "If we had resisted the injunction, then we could have joined the NGA and mobilised the trade union movement in our defence, turned off Mercury, and paved the way for the defeat of the Tories' privatisation proposals. The NEC missed a perfect opportunity to pursue our campaign to successful conclusion".

At the NEC, the broadsheet reports, an amendment to the first proposal for a return to work which called for the effective action in London to continue and for the levy to be increased was defeated 15 votes to 8. (That return-to-work failed principally because an ultra-hard line by BT management made it inoperable).

The Broad Left executive members relied for too long on selective action, based on sustaining strikers on full pay through a levy of the membership. The simple financial arithmetic of it meant that such action was inherently limited to a very small minority of the membership, and thus was vulnerable when BT responded by suspending those taking action.

Together with the right wing's skill at manoeuvring, manipulating and using their allies throughout the labour movement, this has led us into a bleak situation.

Even at this late hour, the Left must break through the limitations of the levy and organise defiance to any sell-outs.

Otherwise the campaign may easily slide back into reliance on publicity and parliamentary filibusters.

Such methods have already been effectively dealt with by the Tories' introduction of Madame Guillotine to the Bill's passage through Parliament.

And they were decisively rejected at the June annual conference.

From back page ards to decide what action take.

Henry Robb in Scotland have seen their last vessel go out on Tuesday November management has put, from Friday 25 November, 150 of the 189 manual workers on short-time working.

Kincaids is in a similar situation, as are Clarke Hawthorn and Goole.

The combine committee was unanimous in its condemnation of the SNC - especially the Chair and Secretary, Jim Murray of the Boilermakers and Alex Feiry of the AUEW. Swann Hunter stewards have passed a vote of no contidence.

The combine decided to campaign for all-out action on January 3 if BS and the SNC come back with offers like the survival plan and no basic wage increase and with forced redundancies.

The decision of the last national lay delegate conference was to give the SNC the power POLICE arrested four TGWU shop stewards last Thursday (November 24) from the Shellhaven refinery, picketing outside the Shell oil tanker depot at Heathrow Airport for an alleged offence against airport bylaws.

This is the latest incident of - di haven (Essex) in pursuit of their chemicals complex (Manchesmanagement. not increased, but a consolida- won.

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REFINER ances, together with remaining allowances being increased by 4.5%, and a one-off payment of £50 per head, is now being put forward by Shell to make up a 12-month deal backdated to October 1.

This is similar to an offer 09 - 119- 4 - 1. - -Yet on Friday (November 25)

If the workers at Stanlow (on final" offer can be broken down

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