STEELWORKERS Sheffield's Forgemaster's Atlas site are preparing step up their 12 week old strike.
All 700 strikers receivea lellers or aismissal a week before Christmas, ment ultimatum 1o relurn work or face the sack Now they have been told they can only relurn as 'new starters' This would that workers with years of service would lose iheir seniority and pension rights.
The steelworkers have not been deterred. Pickets burnt their dismissal notices the factory Their mood is one They.
have neto for •weeks, and defied moves by ISTC and AUEW of-ficials 10 force them back 10 work.
The central issue in the strike is the right 1o centralised Irade representation elecied convenor. Managemen! have *reorganised' the site into five separale companies, level any more. The strikers know thal 1o ac effective ally organisation and a green light 1o managemenı lo lear up agreements.
An immediate response 1o the dismissal nolices came mom te neighbouling River Don works, also owned rorgemaslers. The workers there voled join the after the Cristmas break On 2 January the plant was closed by pickels trom both River Don and Atlas sites. Now moves al C under way lo sel single trade union strucLure Sheffield sites.
The campaign for solidarity will be stepped uD as well. 'We have now changed VUl approach from purely fund-raising, said convenor Ron Ward, 'and we are now appealing for the blacking of all Forgemasters The company will try and use non-trade union firms lo get ils products finish d, but the companies tha use men are ace von organised. The gloves are Already fund-raising has been a big Regular streel collections being ve held. Stickers di c reading supported the steelworkers' are now a common sight.
-*rade union branches have organised collections, with Parar more ang the mining engineering noustes collection a! Silverwood DIl raised £500; £3000 was raised ai Shardlows engineering works.A further gesture of solidarithe invitation of was sirikers' chidren miners' Christmas parties Olher areas have con tribuled 100 a lour of Manchester and the North Wesı brought a particularly good response. Now the exiension of the dispute makes solidarity still more viial.
Donations 10: Ror Ward, Shop Steward. Committee meceel Dispule Centre, AUEW House. Furnival Gale, Sheffield.