Shell strikers divided

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THE National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers said last week that it wants to reopen negotiations affecting some 200,000 clothing workers with the British Clothing Industry Assuciation. The union •has rejected the employers' initial offer of a 4.5% increase on basic pay, coupled with moves for a one-hour reduction in the 40hour working week. AS WE go to press shop stewards of the two manual unions -TGWU | representing 1,400 process workers and the AUEW representing 1,000 craft workers - involved in the eight week strike over pay at Shell UK's largest refinery, Stanlow (Cheshire) are divided over the company's latest and 'final" offer.

TGWU stewards voted by 21 to 18 on Tuesday (December 6) to reject the offer and continue the strike; a recommendation to be put to their members at a mass meeting on Thursday.

However, AUEW stewards are recommending acceptance today (Wednesday) of a similar package made up of a 4.5% basic pay increase over 15 months, plus a £100-a-head lump Sum, •consolidation of £4.30 in weekly allowances, and a restructuring of other allowances worth up to f415 a year. The TGWU seem to have agreed on the same basic pay rate increase, but are divided over a lump sum offer totalling f225.

These develpments follow the acceptance by over 300 TGWU members at Shellhaven (Essex) last week of an offer by Shell made up of a 4.5% increase on basic rates, a £50 lump sum, consolidation of allowances worth £2.50 a week, and restructuring of other allowances.

A return to work on Monday (December 5) by the remaining strikers - 170 AUEW craft workers who accepted the same deal at the weekend with consolidation of allowances amounting to £2.30 a week - brought an end to the four-week strike at the Shellhaven refinery.

Meanwhile, although the pay claim by the 1,750 TGWU Shell oil-tanker drivers and depot workers was settled two weeks ago, legal snags still bedevil the issue affecting the included consolidation of long-service payments which the unio ers would be in b employment contracts.

Isolated

The pressure on the workers at Stanlow who are now isolated in their action, for a return to work, will be increased, but with determination to continue picketing company depots together with calls to tanker drivers not to cross picket lines then the company can be forced to return to negotiations and to alter (as has happened during the course of the strike) their ''final" offer. OVER five months ago, worke at the Carousel ice-cream waf factory in the East End Glasgow began their strike f union recognition, better wor ing conditions and reinstatemet They are still not anywhere ne to winning the dispute.

The strikers have maintain their picket throughout the d pute, but support for the week mass pickets has been declini recently. • The TGWU and Strathcly Federation of Unemploy Centres should arrange a ro system of support for the pick line, to ensure a greater numb of pickets each day as well as t weekly mass pickets.

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