morning to show support.
It remains to be seen what action the Caterpillar management will LUW lake They insistent that no talks will take place until plant va colled. They have been workers voted by a narrow majority to stay in the plant. The decision was welcomed by many trade union delegations who had come to the plant that shaken by the focus provided by the occupation ana want it ended so thai they can strip the plant down of valuable SLOCK and machinery.
Solidarity with the March The marched Glasgow's George Square where the 'pink panther' tractor. built during the occupation donated to the alla OCOne stands, courtesy Glasgow district council The oçcupying workers, who built the tractor to expose the absurd logic of THE PEOPLE OF The PokPurther stenda hert THE PINK PANTHER DONATED BY THE VORKFOPCE OF CATERPLLA SCOTTISH HAR ON WANTA Men сили ecutive on whether or not behind the figill to relai support the 1200 jobs.
Tony Benn MP has the occupation was very warmly received. At meeting with the stewards, they told him of their request that the Labour leadership picage future Labour government would lasc over une plant secure the jobs. OVER the last two weeks, the dispute over the planned future pit at Margam in South Wales has assumed national importance. Not only has Arthur Scargill's leadership of the national been challenged but the future istence of the national for all mineworkers is in question.
Since the early 1970s success vt governments have promised to sink a new pit into the rich an. thracite reserves which lie to Margam nee works near jobstarved Port Talbot.
The coal board and the government want to return to area-bv-area and pit-by-pil negotiation.
Thev see this as a vital first SleD towaos onvasæor of the pits. The destruction of the NUM is a key political aim of the government. Now cabinet ministers are openly talking of the end of national pay bargaining as part of cheir election Dallonl Choosing South Wales the coal board has carefully Dickeo battle grounc South Wales NUM has a long histor ine year-loman diners strike the South Wales leadership OvCHi critical of Scargill's tactics around mass picketing Whilst their leadership has led to disastrous job losses they are now trying to portray the nation union as blocking new jobs in Wales. In'this they are aided by an enLICICICU fiercely right-wing and Labour Party leadership. For example there is not even a single Campaign Group in Nales, one of Labour' key hartlands.
Kinnock and the trade WISCE bureaucracy have quickly back Wales TUC almost unanimously backed Des Dutfield and South Wales NUM secretary George Rees in their stand. South Wales TGWU boss George Wright has threatened that his union would take up Margam if the NUM were to oppose six-day working - a luve which provoked a swift rebuke from Ron Todd • Civil servants strike THE first wave of civil service strikes started aS week Unemployment benefit offices, DHSS offices and inland clearance depots for customs have Heeltall The action is the first in an initial six week campaign of industrial by the Civil and Public Services Association (CPSA) and the Society and the TGWU's national leadership.
The Labour Party is in the ridiculous position of entering an period proudly campaigning for a longer working week. For them no price is too high to break the power of Scargill and the The issue of Margam within the NUM is about practices. South Wales in far more than the opposition to the in crease in union subscriptions at the recent national delegate conferenc - an increase vital to sustaining the The South Wales leadership have been critical of Scargill's attitude Loware. Nottinghamshire saying thai instead of fighting for miners to rejoin the national union there should lisicau negotiations with Lynk Prendergast to bring back the UDM as a whole into a federally-based union.
South Wales dragged its feet on the Justice for Mineworkers campaign preterring negotiate secretiy with the coal board and get men into private pits. . They believe that a policy of a review for sacked mineworkers compromise Kinnock and that the union should keep . quiet unit] after an election South Wales NUM have attempted to link up with other sections of the uiv Oouoosc oak leadership. In the election for vice-president backed Eric Clark against Sammy Thomp son. The daily newspaper The Western Mail, of secretary George Rees an alternative candidate for president of the national union.
much support South Wales leadership have is open to question. The massive programme of pit closures has severe ly dented their credibility the delegate conference vote for Margam was extremely confused Tower colliery has launched an open campaign against six-day working It this campaign can link up not i only with othe areas and pits but with supporters in the Labour Party and trade unions the six-day week can b lefeated and South Wale can play strong democratic pall In union for all mineworkers.
of Civil and Public Servants (SCPS).
They are demanding 'a wage Ist OI 240 Or 13 per cent (whichever is the higher) and a shorte working week. Secret ballots by the two unions recorded votes of 69 and 59 per cent to reject the government's "final' offer of $5.75 or 4.25 per cent and take strike action.
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