AS THE Caterpillar occupation enters its thirteenth week, public support continues to flood in. A concert held in Motherwell last week raised over £5000 and workplace and street collections continue to raise between £15,000 and £20,000 every week, Several Scottish bands have recently got together and released a specialv cut record with all proceeds going to the Caterpillar occupation. Three local councils -Hamilton, Motherwell - Е7VC now agreed to exempt (sternilar workers from rent and rate payments aunng me aspute. li scenes reminiscent of the miners strike thousands of people can be seen sporting the red and white Caterpillar support stickers.
management have been under considerable pressure to meet with the workforce.
Last week they met with delegations from support group, and then from the STUC, Scottish churches and local representatives. Finally, with the agreed intervention of ACAS talks have now begun.
On Thursday 16 April, for the first time management met a delegation from the shop stewards face to face.
to consider proposals made by the shop stewards, and talks will recommence on Tuesday Pat Brandon, a senior AEU steward at Caterpillar, was optimistic. 'We really are making progress he said, pointing out the importance of the meeting with the company, given that management had always insisted that they wouldn't meet until the occupation had ended.
The stewards are calling for management compulsory redundancies amongsl the 800 hourly-paid employees. In accepting that Caterpillar are no longer willing to run the Uddingston plant, the workforce are demanding that it remains open for a minimum of twelve months, to allow adequate time for an alternative buyer to be found.
ine stewards are confident that such an will be found. An independent study by the Fraser of Allander Institute, commissioned by the STUC, has put for the plant, manufacturing components.
Our support must
Collie re Caterpillar workforce. pat Brandon exo ained that public support has the last few weeks, since the company won the court injunction and despite the AEU leadership's refusal to support what they describe as an illegal occupation' Caterpillar management have been left in no doubt as to the views of the Scottish labour movement and the STUC conterence, meeting this week in Perth, will certainly confirm this. employers over flexibility is widespread.
DONT
Engineers lobby an executive meeting of the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions - opposition to talks with the TALKS NOW!