of victory.
"Inquiry' into
peragainst the workers If that's out.
have re-inforced the strikes.
quiry was not set up. • Craft workers the system to a halt. • Representatives delivery of authorities if asked to do so demand sions of the power workers to their support authorities to links betmany areas of London. and TRADE union leaders are once again trying to snatch defeat from the jaws In a week when the solidarity actions were massively extending and when the effects of the strike were coming to the crunch, the decisive union leadership have agreed to an the water workers' dispute. Such inquiries are loaded talks on as the stee workers and railworkers have found Meanwhile several developments • Scottish waterworkers decided to Join the strike by mid-week if the inin the water industry have decided to join the strike officially from this weekend and not cross picket lines from midnight Tuesday. This move could rapidly bring of 110,000 chemical workers decided to black chlorine to water These actions added to the decigIve and the snowballing solidarity in the labour movement. The effects of the action were country: beginning to mount all over England and Wales. In London, for example, the potentially catastrophic effect on water levels of nearly 500 bursts being allowed to run free has forced the cut off the water in Moreover, the Hampton water works is threatening to become another Saltley Gates. If coal is prevented from entering this pumping station, London would virtually be cut off.
The union leadership are running scared of the massive solidity of the strike and the possible impact of a victory. Already government manual workers have asked for a re-opening of their pay the employers offer of a measly 4.5 per cent.
National of Public Employees members voted before the water strike to accept. General and Municipal and Transport and General members voting after the strike started decided to reject.
The writing is on the wall for the trade union leaderships. If the water workers win decisively, it will throw into relief their sell-outs in the present pay round. It will massively boost workers confidence to bring the government down.
If the strike continues it threatens to combine not only with the manual workers, but also the more powerful gas and power workers who decide on action next week.
Demands should go up from the strike committees up and down the * No retreat on the full claim for parity * Step up the action * Unite the claims.
There should be a big turn out for the lobby of the Joint Industrial Committe which meets after the inquiry declares its findings.