Bristol strikers accept Rolls' formula

Workers Press no. 650, 31 December 1971 · scan page 2

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ROLLS-ROYCE strikers at Bristol yesterday accepted the return-to-work formula agreed by union leaders with the company in London. An afternoon mass meeting of the 6,200 workers with the company in London voted unanimously to go on Wednesday. back on Monday and accept The two-and-a-half hour a back-dated cost of living meeting split narrowly—by 57 rise of £1.50 a week.

Rolls have softened their But anxiety about the terms insistence that 50p of the remains widespread, focusing award be offset against what- on two main points. ever rise is agreed in the national engineering claim.

But many workers fear the widespread fears that the company's Tory - appointed company's aim is to establish board will use the settlement a flat-rate pay system in place as a lever to establish a form of piecework, Work: and of Measured-Day Work. Measured-Day Cries of 'sell-out' and allowing speed-up and redun'rubbish' punctuated a speech dancies. by. Bill John, Amalgamated On future negotiations the Union of Engineering board of Rolls-Royce (1971) Workers executive member, Ltd has twice intervened in outlining the terms. of the deal. the disestroying venat litte. He revealed that the issue confidence many workers had of offsetting has not been completely settled. While the • PAGE FOUR COL. 2 union insists it will not accept such a condition, the company position is that the issue has not yet been resolved.

What is more, £1.50 is to be paid within the terms of last year's factory pay agreement-which is felt by many workers to open the door for work-measurement and other speed-up techniques.

Although the rise is formally back-dated to October -, union officials made clear after the meeting that this will mean only one month's actual back-dating since workers will not be paid the increase for the time on strike.

Earlier yesterday national officials of all six unions into 49—in favour of accepting the revised offer.

On productivity there are Dental air POOR working-class families are not being told about dental charge exemptions and refunds, says a report published today the Child Poverty Action A survey in Cambridge showed:

In no practice was there anything prominently dis played explaining the existence of help with payThe report says that the only way for the needy to obtain financial help from poor promised by the government is to abolish means tests and introduce universal benefits.

Of the Cambridge practices visited, 25%, per cent did not have the basic claim forms for all categories. The leaflet 'Your guide to dental treatment under the National Health' was not available at any of the practices.