work-to-rules, cooperation, lightning strikes: Britain's railworkers being forced to use every method at their disposal to resist Thatcher's attacks on their industry and jobs.
At the same time their sister ASLEF and the National let coal move by гояй.
Unity in action has day London diff Doncaster. Within the NUR more grades are coming into activity as the members of the workshop, signals telecom. munications, grades по option but to fight against the feracious onslaught on their jobs.
While the depots under attack are standing firm, the response ana many gave dor lakel action yet.
Here we take a brief look at some 0I depots who at the sharp end of the struggle today; the 400 guards at Kings Cross, Glasgow, South Wales and Immingham To me Deca suspended or sacked in the past few days. SUSPENDED guards at Kings Cross have worked hard for a 'yes' vote in the ballot. But if there is one thing that has been brought home, it's how right the miners were to deny the Tories the chance to meddle in their dispute via a ballot.
Ever since the NUR took une accision to comp ly with the union legislation and hold three separate ballots in the industry of the guards, the workshops and the signalling telegraph grade the Board has had a field day. Their heavy-handed tacties have ranged trom in dividuals being sent home to mass sackings.
But the aim of all these suspended Kings Cross guard moves was to try to crack one of the depots marked for immediate driver only operation (DOO) prior to any ballot. Board knew that if they forced a return any depot taking action that the result of the ballots. affect In these circumstances, it was a good move by the union to bring the date of the ballot forward. It gave manoeuvre for the first ballot. But there are still two further ballots come.
Each ballot will be used by the Board as a referendum of workers to judge the ac tion already underway in the industry. ly worded inese are. tney won't save the injunctions flying in every direction. Even if the national executive complies with the Tory laws and decides to pay fines, sequestration is valene care once the Tories take off the gloves.
But to let the fear of sequestration stop actions to ACTORA Jobs and condi tions would be crazy. should remember that one of the strongest unions in Britain today, the NUM, still has no funds In the final instance, it is how well organised the union is at every level, and well educated clear-sighted the membership has through struggle, that will save the union not its bank balance. If it was a question of finances alone, we would never be able to maten ine virtuall unlimited resources at the Board's disposal! tics BR have used. The intent is to disrupt our abiliballot. 1o conduct a proper Management would still like to provoke some which would enable them to drag the union into the The issues at stake in this dispute are far greater than DOO. It is the very survival of our union Because of these high stakes we are getting massive response the ballot. The members this aren responded magnificently to the sackings, with spontaneous action we expect substantial majority voting 'yes'.
The only danger will be if we follow the kind of "guerilla tactics' some are proposing. The effect that would have on the guards It Ins depot woulc • De lc expose them to much more management intimidation. The union reps would face
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they're being joined in action by drivers in the
Mineworkers is back- ing them by refusing
Photo: OM COOKSON Glasgow and from Car-