THE LESSON we learnt at Coalville during the miners' strike was that nothing is inevitable. You don't have to accept anything that is against the interests of railworkers. We stayed solid right through the strike, and that spirit is continuing now. The depot is more united than it's ever been before.
We've had a significant success since the end of the We've stalled the implementation of scheme to reduce eleven posts at the depot even though our sectional council, the London Midland Region negotiating COlImittee, agreed to the loss.
We did it bv threatenine industrial action, an overtime ban and a work-iorule. The latter would have been particularly effective because nOW move before the mioved shi lie 1101C coal than we did We've proved the that put about by malaKCHICuL during the strike that our support of Juliels would mean loss of coal tonnage permanently. Not only have We OSUNDOCOICTUSL' optimistic predictions, the fact that we're moving so much more coal has embarassed them.
Threat Management triea divide ASLEF the muk a tactice inal workek during, the early days of the strike. inev convened separate meetings believing that the drivers would capitulate, but the drivers have been hardened up by he struggle to support the .uners.
They immediately called a Federation meeting in which a ail from the open meeting on November 84, was the irst time such a meeting had taken place. VUR and * SBEr nave never worked closer than we do now, and this is a direct result of We're under no illuSions LTCLI nuana cical will stop trying to reduce TOA NID SIAPO TO SAL tinue their plan to close the But the most immediate threat to us now is the introduction of driverошу орегано aud silgic manning on freight trains.
As Rail management's paper said, now that the 4.89 pay claim Deel a4 ccu. they want the 'outstanding productivity measures which affect only one fifth of the staff, crews, to be implemented.
The workshop day of action showed what could done by completely closing down the region. one or lne mal problems we are going to the crisis of leadership in ASLEF and the NUR.
I agree with Arthur Scargili when he said at the AUEW/TASS conference that we are now entering a decisive phase in industrial relations in general, that the fight TS OL DYCI for the miners or anyone eise We were involved in a fundamental and principied struggie with the ruling class' and 'you either take your stand with the ciass to which you belong, or by your inactivity you give ald to those who oppose it' he said. I think the rail leaders should take heed of these words. We want a tighting not a that says it is against productivity and then cave in at the first opportunity.
Productivity measures are designed to pay for the modernisation of the railway system with our jobs, and with reduced wages, willcu Is wilat d pay settlement below the rate of intlatioo realv is BR management, inarcheo ov lic luncs, alc using their tried and tested tactic of divide and rule. They are paying a bonus to drivers, power box signalmen antol uraliic supervisers agree to Crive coniv las We all know how the destroyed DOIS SYSLCILI the unity of the NUM, and Arthur Scargill always took a principled stand against it. We want see the Federation of ASLEF/NUR take similar stand against such tactics Decalsc doesn't will be destroyed.
There is no alternative work for guards secondmen either at coaivile acpol, or ni inc Leicestershire So for us this is a life death struggle can't afford to lose.
Plan Our experience is not unique in the Midlands, like the miners it's either pur up a fight or go on the doie Productivity is national question tor the raii unions, not iocai Coalville, and that's how it must be fought. instead of NEC members describing at meetings what unice policy on productivity we need a plan ol action The NEC needs to give local Departmental Committees explicit instructions about how to stop management forcing productivity on us through the use of Clause 80, a clause which management use to assume negotlations have taken place.
We need a national strategy to fight productivity deals, otherwise depots and workshops will picked off one by one. It productivity deals seem to affect only one grade or workers UlIC SCELUI become isolated then the and vulnerable This is what happened last week with the dispute I London transport and the union leadership failed to overcome the problem.
The NUR sent out a circular this week saying that BR • had confirmed that they would be Introducing DOO Eastern Region in October and in the Strathclyde area at the end of the year.
Kings Cross and Hitchin depots already know Inal lney dle lose one hundred guards jobs. The circular says. 'be alert to what managment are doinformed: Put thats nst Unity House informed. enough.
We want national campaign throughout the Federation ductivity. We against want this pro campaign to be taken into the reconvened Guards Shunters heroosaly. We need national tours WOKSOCS mediately under threat.
The lobbies of ihe NUR ASLEF conferences being Kings Cross No forward by Fi branen YUR at the Guards an Shunters Conterence ihis week shouid also be backThis is what we need if we are to get the industrial action that is necessary lo save raliworkers jobs.