ON MONDAY January British Telecom's 117,000 telephone engineers started policy of 'noncooperation' as the first step in a campaign of industrial action. On 12 January they start a national overtime ban and work-to-rule. They join 40,000 clerical workers who have been taking action since early December. They fighting against management's proposals to impose far-reaching attacks on working practices as part of their 1986 pay deal.
The proposals will in.
rease 'flexibility', boost. ing productivity accelerating job loss. They will open the door attacks Ull the 37½ hour WOll through industrial action in 1978.
It is the first time that engineers have taken action nationally since the 1983 campaign against which colapsed after the union was with legal under union laws.
BI have recently announced half-year profits of over £1 billion 2100 awarded their chairman, Sir George Jefferson, pay rise of 55 Since BT have doubled the amount of profit extracted per each employee and shed over 15,000 jobs.
Management pressures to boost productivity have led the company report to note a steep inwork.
of BT's workers to the 1986 'pay offer' has beer promising In ballots in November and December clerical engineering workers voted by four to one take industmal action But the aim of NCU general secretary, John Golding, is to do a deal with BT far short of the members' aspirations.
In September he bleeted 'it's in no one's intest to have a disgruntled demoralised staff. ' In fact want nothing more than to inflict a demoralis ing settlement which could act as a springboard to furconditions one limited conditions. limited campaign for industrial action the Golding leader. ship has unlikely to dent BT's confidence the NCU leaders are unwilling to translate their 80 per cent vote into determined acEngineers involved in the defeated 1983 camaware dangers such half-hearted action. Waging serious fight againgt BT's latest attacks means starting now with a campaign in every union branch and workplace to prepare for a national strike.
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