MOLES EYE VIEW THE DECISION OF the Post Office Engineering Union conference to back its NEC recommendation to call off the blacking of the Mercury private telecoms company is a major setback in both the union's campaign against privatisation and of the trade union movement's fight against the government's employment legislation.
Despite this the campaign of industrial action goes on. unanimous v decided this week to continue its campaign dustrial action against installations Coveracul and financial institutions. This compares with the 2-1 margin at the September Special conference starting the action. At the same time the right-wing Stanruled out of ord the Cro- Orders Committee positions West End branches calling for all out national action against the Telecom Bill now in the House of Commons.
suspended manageVUl of the Exchanges. Walsh, secretary the International branch, reported connerence dIc Other acing data of virtually any of the made to to average industri of investment In contrast lago In this • strategy the telecommunications tor, in which BT still has a near monopoly ULU viding services, is central.
Telecommunications is the fastest growing sector of the fastest growth area in the world This industry is the outcome Ine convergence of the technologies and products of the computer, telecommunicanons, broadcasting and office equipment dustries. some idea of its scale can be glimpsed from the fact that between 1978-9 the size of the total UK market for IT alone increased ov overt from £2,188m to £2,678m a ycal Some increasing faster than others. For examole the UK market for computer services grew in 1980 by 28 per cent. The Telecoms market on the other hand, increased by nearly 40 per cent (Quoted in Hunt on TC CSE Communications group Nov 1982).
invests Along with British Gas, of strategic British capitalism.
Victory would in probability the - much in There divisions wants it admajor stock sale Illay postponeu 1984 until campaign. discussion when be divided, the principle Our action Illa have those who far.
This Tory government, which is made of sterner stuff than Heath's, won't back down unless or until very existence threatened. It certainly will not bow to simple economic pressures without an accompanying The miners, who were on all-out strike won, not again the government and pirates will win because of their economic strength, because at Saltley Gates, they were able to mobilise other workers to come to their support thus threatening a general strike.
It is almost self evident that selective strike action will not and cannot defeat was successfully developed by the POEU in its strug gle for the 35-hour week in 1978. Pressure on the City financial institutions where millions of pounds can be made and lost by a single 'phone call or telex personnel strategic, and, if possible fault-prone and specialised equipment such as af the stock exchange causec delegations of City gents march on Downing Street. demanding an earl\ settlement to the dispute working Callaghan. time the direct the defeat. British quotea week ad ding the Any losses even large scale counted future We in last Action a pro SUD ineffective.
This of But what the the membership clualle The Mercury Connector: a 237 connector which members refused to link to the BT network. Unless that is don minster Branch at the centre of the action which voted to defy Tebbit's law They branch members! have developed the confidence to go out and take on the government, which those not directly involved have not. This is in no way to defend the capitulation of inose lour broad Lell sup porters on the NEC before the threat of the law.
An all-out strike would be a launch pad to the creation of a genuine pubpristsation es much much easier to enlist and focus support of other trade unionists when every town has a picket The day before the Mercury decision was an nounced the TUC issued a statement saying that would not support a unior