with the rail unions. Last week, the Board decided to make full use of the Tory anti-union laws, in an at• tempt to weaken working class opposition in the industry.
First, demanded £200,000 compensation, lost when railworkers took guard action on 17 January in defence of members victimised by management for supporting the miners.
The Board will also present another crippling claim to the unions revenue lost when Scottish SAY NO TO SERPELL workers shut down the rail network in defence of jobs last April.
Second, the Board has nroken Ine taiways mne year old closed shop agreement.
British Rail is making ful use or the lorv law because the railways are a running sore for the bosses. The rail unions must be taken UIL defeated like steelworkers, British Leyland workers, and the if the rapid and LILICIS fundamental of the inDULCLUIILZ dustry, which the bosses urgently need, is going to be carried through. DOO voted" unanimously to fight to defend their jobs when it met at the end of May.
British Rail alms tc destroy the grade of guard the domino theory Cross Strathclyde Region Scotland are the number vllc laleel. and thev'l be followed by the removal of guaras on treight trains, it BR. gets its way.
Delegates called for a 24-hour national strike as a first step to defend jobs in the industry. No considered that the coming year will be an easy one for railworkers, but as Roy Butlin. put it, Nothing trom put it, is inevitable. Driver Only Operation can be defeated. But we can't win grade by grade. We need unity across the industry, including with the workshops, and beyond.' But any successful fiohthack must involve a sharp break with the curTesL ob-key approach the union leadership. With thousands oi Jobs under threat, the newspaper has carried only a single article on DOO in the last year. It's a scandal that it's been left up to Kings Cross depot itself to petition declaring opposition productivity, and aimed at getting railworkers involved in the tight against job loss. Several thousand petitions were taken back to local depots from conference.
With feelings runnin high, delegates welcome Jimmy Knapp, the NUR general secretary, when — in answer to the questioning on his report to conference, he accepted that action would be necessary if BR • pushes ahead wịth DOO important teature of this year's conference was now much delegates had learned their solidarity_action with the Hules This was evident not only in the large vote Roy Butlin received when elected to the conference executive committee, but also in ine standing ovation which greeted miner's wife, Marie Price Thanked Price, the Notts delegate to the national committee of the womer Against Pit Closures, thanked delegates for their solidarity action during accdaucu the links between dulICIS railworkers should be strengthened to defend sacked imprisoned miners today. 'But, ' she said, 'solidarity is a two-way street. If we can ever aid you in your fight, get women will be there before Lal. the phone.
Although this grade conference deals only with issues relating directly to guards shunters, many delegates were pleased when in anwer another question on his report, Knapp pledged the union's support the Nicaraguan government which is currently under threat of invasion. "This very Issue will be our annual general meeting in a fort night's time. noted NilaDD With big battles looming the industry Socialist Action supporters at conference were pleased that the sale of Railworkers and Miners, the new pamphlet went down so well. A full one in three delegates purchased a copy of this account of the struggle or Our members at Coalville.
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Photo: G M COOKSON THE BRITISH RAIL BOARD is spoiling for a fight