VALERIE COULTAS and GREG TUCKER interurl" their jobs.
year of bitter struggle, present situation' then so can we.
But why was there "по' vote ballot when evervone trom thi national British Rail tess through walancicil. to activists in the union thought it would be 'yes'? Is it simply the case that following the defeat of the miners workers unwilling to struggle? It's TrIle the impact of the miners' strike is an imporluco ae ro vor but on its own it doesn't rule out action by workers today — as the rapid in•ts nacaon hakel Glasgow, South Wales and London showed First the stakes in this dispute were extremely high. Management made t very clear how high with almost 400 sackings suspensions within days Everv guard knew ther were voting for all out, indefinite strike action and confrontation which would lead to a lockout of all their fellow workers In this situation they weren't confident that the rail union leadership was oftering a strategy which could win.
1 N€ second element was the decision by the 985 Annual General Meeting of the NUR to operate within the framework of the ballot itself. The NUR Guard AGM's narrow decision to ballot before strike action Was reached only after Jimmy Knapp who promised that we should 'turn this into a sword to smite them with'.
Far from turning it into sword, the ballot people It reinforced fears of going it alone, oi the division of grade SLEPS Bra c, ASLEF's defeat.
Knapp did not give a lead of type showed by Scargill but orientated in exactly the opposite direcLUll.
More specifically, the No vote came from areas which had been prepared for struggle by SUlUarL' aLUONS Lake during the miners' strike. Massive 'no' other sections out and that would have been enough to shut down the railway network.
So as a member of the NEC would have preferred the union leadership to take a principled stand against driver only operation and to campaign for industrial action im mediately people were threatened with the sack for retusing to take out those trains.
I believe if we were a cambenzille unuu Loe as place we wouldn't have to concern GUSCIVC with nt. ere nere ballot or want proaching situation on the ballot would have Docil brelLy mcevalni pressure that being placed on the NEC by th‹ Rail Board was designed breach of the 1984 Trade Act they SLUD on August taking place.
How are we going to detend our policies on pro• ductivity over the next six months without being in breach of the 1984 Trade AGM sought to protect us So you would have preferred if the NEC had called HAHLSI? without going to a ballot?
Yes Can we ask you about from the East Anglia Western excluding Wales South East.
Of the NUR cuise also has its scabs and its scab depots who management cosset treasure. There are older workers who are reluctant to endanger any redundency money or their few remaining years of paid main line And there main guards who believe their jobs are safe until all lines are electrified and high speed trains routinely equipped with sliding doors.
Given the pressures the proportion of the 'ye vote was a sign of the will.
fight significant of the guards, traditionally the most militant sector of the NUR must be clearly recognised that the union is weakened by the vote and concessions and com.
promises will forced from it as a result. But the Tory government has won a battle not the war. The cannot yet feel great confidence in their ability carry through with their full plans when days of struggle NTELCU during August they were promising guards that their jobs wer SCCUC They must fought for these jobs every inch of the way Knapp's leadership of the Over the last three years Knapp has twice argued at AGMs in favoar of being allowed to NCERC Oe орег» tion. He lost that position But this year he argued i favour of ballots and wor the position LICE we've got this result? What does that mean for Knapp as a trade union leader?
wasn't Jimmy Knapp who put the ballot item on to the agenda of the AGM! It as him who argued for i up and down the countr: beforehand!
There was a demand for ballots though. And it was used during the miners strike. People were wooed y the populist argumen ind the AĞM was the fir: time before the membership. this issue was pu I think it might be a tactical mistake from the position we are in now to be against any ballot. But the kind of balloting that sato nal ray stake you national must ballot the membership is proved to be false The Specia Genera Meeting we have called will have to take that or board as well.
What position have they played their NEC in to carry out their policies. That's what we are going to have to consider.
----- pull-quotes -----
LAST WEEK, British Rail guards voted by 4815 to 4360 a majority of 455 against taking industrial ac- tion against driver only operation and in defence of Despite this big setback we have to prepare now for the next round of battles. If after a miners' leader Scargill can arge his supporters to 'look further afield than the