Engineers' crisis builds

ABOUT 5,000 workers throughout the Stockport area yesterday stopped piecework and began an overtime ban in support of the engineering wage claim.

The convenors of two plants said they were prepared to follow the example of 1,000 Bredbury steel workers and stage a sit-in if management attempted to suspend men for not working normally.

At some other factories the action has been postponed after management offered negotiations on the claim, which is for a £4-a-week increase, a 35-hour week, longer holidays and equal pay for women.

Bernard Regan, Stockport district secretary of the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers said yesterday that there were signs that the employers 'were cracking'.

settlement in three companies including one big firm in tne Engineering Employers' Federation, has been reached. These provided for up to week increases, plus phased introduction of a 35-hour week.

But Stockport's biggest engineering shop" Siddeley of the Hawker group, workers banned piecework 6 a.m. yesterday.

Mirrlees convenor, John Dougherty, said that the move was in support of the claim and 'principled solidarity' with the Bredbury men.

'As yet we have had no retaliation from management, but this come on Wednesday when the paper work begins building •We have passed a resolution stating that we prepared to if they begin the suspensions.

At Davis and Metcalf, Bredbury, there was a position of stalemate.

Workers there began a ban on piecework late last week and received a 48-hour notice of suspension on Saturday.

'If they carry out their threat, we are prepared to take action like the Bredbury men,' said Eric Wolridge AUEW convenor.

"The employers have divided themselves into a group to fight this claim.' He said that the men were now waiting for management to come forward and talks.

•We have made it quite plain that if they do not talk along the lines of the full claim submitted on March I we are prepared LuKe action even means sitting in.

At other Stockport factories management are playing for time promising talks.

Workers at Nettle Accessories have lifted the ban on piecework after i number of talks.

A spokesman for the firm was reluctant to comment yesterday. but he indicated that talks would not begin before the weekend.

The move is therefore an obvious ploy to avoid any disruption before next Monday.

WEATHER

SCOTLAND and N Ireland will be mainly cloudy with occasional rain at first but sunny periods developing later. Isolated showers are likely in the W. N England the date when workers throughout greater Manchester will begin a work-to-rule and overtime ban in support of the claim.

The Stockport action was begun a week earlier than planned when management at Bredbury steelworks-part of the GKN group attempted to susMIRRLEES CONVENOR JOHN DOUGHERTY : 'PRINCIPLED SOLIDARITY' MEN INSIDE THE BREDBURY PLANT ' " pend workers who were operating a piecework ban.

The men took action after they discovered that stock was being moved in preparation for next Monday's district-wide ban.

Yesterday the Bredbury steelworkers were refused the dole when they went to register.

DAVIS AND METCALF CONVENOR ERIC WOLRIDGE :

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