REMEMBER BLAIR PEACH SOUTHALL ANNIVERSARY BENEFIT Saturday 26 April 7.30pm, University of London Union, THE PIRHANAS AND THE AU PAIRS Admission £2 for jobs on Merseyside.' This was the message from Massey Ferguson steward Jimmy Forsyth when on 3 ADri 70 people packed into Kirkby Labour Club hear speakers the committee curatul Massey's Knowsley plant.
The audience heard how the company wanted to close Knowsley and move its work to Manchester factories national delegate conterence emier tie wee had thrown a spanner into Massey's multi-national The WOrKS representing company's workers, pledged Knowsley and boycott all 'WE'RE on a winner. This has got to be the turning point carried out there.
Labour Club meeting, representatives several factories Liverpool docks, teachers and council workers pledged their support occupation, now in its sixth week Dock shop steward Jimmy Nolan offered the help of his members in organising a tour oI all ports la tne country, lo ampaign for the boycottin of all Masse products general strike action on Merseyside on 14 May • special IocuS the struggle Knowser unanimously agreed at the Socialist Challenge 10 April 1980 Page 5
THE ending of the 13-week national steel strike on Tuesday of last week for a 16 per cent wage rise tied to job loss productivity increases sell-out - but it was not a defeat.
The large-scale redundancies demanded by the Tories, which before the strike seemed certain to go through without problems, now threathen become a battle ground.
The steel strike raised temperature of the class struggle in Britain and brought workers one of the key basic industries out of hibernation.
The settlement is made up of two paris. Eleven per cent is to be paid on existing rates. On average this will mean a f10 rise. Finance for this, some f180m, has to be found almost entirely from future redundancies.
Another 4.5 per cent on offer is dependent on the negotiation of local productivity deals involving massive changes in working practices speed ups. This will result in 12,000 lost jobs, on top of the 52,000 already announced by BSC management.
The 4.5 per cent rise will be paid for the first four months on account. But after that it will continue to be paid only if satisfactory local deals are completed.
Lamb Nonetheless, a 16 per cent deal is a far cry from management's original offer of two per cent. hardly became the sacrificial lamb the Tories intended them strong sectors such as the miners will have been intimidated government's tactics The inside the industry has been transformed. There was anger at the settlement. When the findings of the committee of inquiry were accepted, pickets lobbying the ISTC headquarters chased and was Many to the and LARRY HERMAN be, by the steel Photo:
the the oppose remained leaders ISTC's out they would STRIKERS lobby the ISTC HQ demanding action against private steel scabs THE scene of mass picketing which at first succeeded in closing Again the initiative came from