LES HUCKFIELD has been the main parliamentary spokesperson for the traindrivers' union ASLEF. He has spoken up and down the country defending the drivers' case. sponsored by the Transport Workers union but speaks for the drivers' union in the House of Commons because sponsored MP of its own. Brian Grogan spoke to him.
Are ASLEF O supporting mainly because VOUT parliamentary job?
No. fully support the that ASLEF has But LaKcIl. aSO because my father was member of ASLEF for 46 ycals.
Do you think the dispute is broader than the issue of flexible rostering? It's been sug gested that the aim the Rail Board smash ASLEF as There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that trom the very Dec ing what BR has been trying to do 1s first ot all. to isolate ASLEF by doing SULLIC SULT of cobbled deal the NUR and then going for a direct confrontation after He is actually ASLEF doesn't have that.
The difficulty has been that much of the argument has been very technical level and most of the press has been working overtime conceal real issues in this dispute. Which is quite simply that August BR committed itself to paying an additional per conditionally. They have now ratted on that deal.
Since a part of the whole plan is to isolate The drivers on tastest you think Sid Weighell's role? He has consistently taken the side Board and tried to put the responsibility on ASLEF.
Well, far be it from me to intervene union's internal affairs. But I do hope that both the executive and the membership of the NUR will take very careful note of what Les Huckfield their general secretary has been doing and saying and act accordingly But isn't something more serous neededi The drivers are fighting flexible rostering and job loss as it affects them. But the attack on railworkers. Shouldn't ASLEF be appeals to other railworkers to come out in their support, against Weighell if necessary?
Let's look at the origins of the historically. First of all. the Board turned down a tribunal award last July for the three per cent. They / then reneged the ALA agreement of last August in favour of the three per cent and now Sir Peter raker maserse knowi that he may not abide by the current inquiry neadec by Lord McCarthy if that goes in favour of the 3 per cent being paid.
This means that the Board three times running will have turned its back on and rejected an arbitra tion award in lavour of ASLEF. I would hope that this would merit not only support from other unions but also support trom luc trade union movement as a whole in favour of ASLEF against managemen which has a chronic difficulty in sticking to any understanding or agreement.
There is no doubt that this is not just an isolated of union against one management. It is a principled stand bemade by ADLE OI behalf of 1 as a adole. No movement as a wiluic union, nor the national executive of the Labour Party, nor the shadow cabinet, nor any part of the wider range of the labour movement can on the sidelines.
They will have to get involved because fundamental principles for which we have fought over the years are now in jeopardy.
What should the Labour Party and Labour Party members be doing?
It would very much help if we could get a declaration of support the waramellan the shadow cabinet. So far lney nave been ambivalent if not positively muted on the affair, although Alber Booth, shadow industry minister, lias culle vul u late and declared support. What needs to be remembered that the TUC General Council has given its unanimous backing as has the Labour Parțy NEC. But much more important have been the many resolutions which have come in trom shor stewards committees district committees and rank and file members of many trades unions.
Despite the usual murmerings right wing engineers' leader Terry there been the constant volumes support union district councils up and down the country.
The initiative by the Manchester Labour Party including the Labour group on the council to organise : a major rally in City Hall is the kind of attempt to secure wider involvement from the move ment that will be needed for ASLEF to succeed.
Would you support the call for a coordinated day stoppage by NUR members in London?
Well, this is not the first of the actions by NUR members. If it is going to be more coordinated so much the better There is no question that this type of action will help defeat the Board.
If ASLEF is to win an outright victory, it will have to take all-out action. Inis wilt involve It in secondary and flying well developing blacking in a way that challenges the Tory anti-union laws. Would you support this?
There is no doubt about it be necessary to break the law in defence of fundamental trade union principles. The who e movement should back the drivers in this eventuality.
You are involved '82 a the Labour Party which aliciel Labour Party activists and trade unionists What should this formation be doing in relation to the ASLEF dispute? or other in aison ons Liaison should be the coordination of the various Broad Left movements in the trades I certainly think that the traindrivers would benefit from this kind of liaison. one-man open station concept, , tens of thousands of NÜR jobs