Sil-in for work

right to work.

Linpac group. unemployed. SHIPPING ORDERS: BRITAIN 'MISSING would like information abou THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE Fill in the form below and send to NATIONAL SECRETARY, SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE, 186A CLAPHAM HIGH ST, LONDON, SW4 7UG. Name FROM STEPHEN JOHNS WORKERS occupying the firm of St Helens Plastics their union for abandoning are fighting for the right to work.' and plant to Linpac. a good standard of living' THE BOAT' A HUGE slump in British shipping was disclosed yesterday. The Chamber of Shipping of the United Kingdom reported that 42 ships, totalling 419,000 tons were laid up on February 29 through lack of employment. • This "compared with 14 ships laid up in February last year.

World recession has hit some countries even harder. In Greece the (u4900 cosh) and in Liberia number of ships Tole 144(049,000 tons) and in it is 66(656,000 tons).

Altogether there are 592 ships with no work throughout the world. Last year there were 162.

Speaking in Manchester last night John MacConachie, presiThe dally paper that leads the Address is Press AY small Lancashire are condemning the fight for the dent of the Chamber if Shipl ng, said British shipowne rS wer danger of 'missing th e boat on shipping orders.

The order book for UK owners had risen by 5 per only 5 per cent in a period in which world order went up by 50 per cent.

'Frighteningly large' sums, he added, would be needed to re-equip fleets with up-to-date ships and equipment.

The Chamber of Shipping had told the government that British shipping could not achieve the profitability necessary for immense investment needed in new ships.

MacConachie, who was addressing the Manchester Steamship Owners' Association, said Britain had already paid out more in foreign currency for the use of foreign ships than she earned by her own ships. Three million jobless to make industry efficient THE MANAGING director of one of Britain's big four car firms said on Thursday he was surprised there were not 3 million unemployed.

Mr. Gilbert Hunt, head of Chrysler's UK operation, claimed if Britain's industry was to compare with the most efficient in the world, fewer not more industrial workers were needed.

Faced with the impossibility of reflating the home market for fear of unleashing a galloping HELENS PLASTICS DEMANL THE PIGHT TO WORK keep in touch via the firm's inter-com Rolling their own in the Common Market British tobacco companies linking up with European ›acco companies linking cigarette manufacturers have not ruled out the cigarette manufacturers have not possibility of some sort of merger.

Carreras, the Piccadilly, Guards and Dunhill group, have held talks with the Dutch Turmac Tobacco Company, Martin Brinkmann AG of Germany and Rothman's of Pall Mall Exports.

The aim of the talks is "to seek a basis of co-ordinating the interests of their respective companies in view of the expansion of the Common Market'.

McKinseys, the American consultants, have been brought in to 'investigate and report on the A Carreras spokesman commenting on the possibility of some sort of a merger said: "The talks could lead to anything or they could lead to nothing.

'We have pulled in McKinseys inflation and tilting the balance of payments far into the red, this week's Tory budget can be seen as a last-ditch bid to trigger an investment boom and stimulate export industries.

But the continuous downturn in production revealed in January's figures gives the lie to Tory claims that their past economic and fiscal measures have done anything to lift Britain out of recession.

Ever since the failure of Barber's mini-Budget, business circles have shown growing scepticism about the likelhood of 'recovery'.

This week's announcement of 1,014,5ll unemployed mirrors the employer's hard-headed determination to trim their sails according to the weather.

They will not wait long to see if the latest Tory "incentives' work.

The problem, as every businessman knows, is not investment, but markets. Their only chance of surviving the overproduction crisis currently tearing at the fabric of world capitalism is to continually increase production efficiency.

When Hunt says he expects to see 3 million unemployed before British industry has a chance of effectively competing in world markets, he is speaking for the whole of big business.

Not only mass sackings but increased productivity and wage cutting are. now. absolutely, inescapable for every capitalist., to advise us on what th oSSi bilities are. It could be fer nonths before another an nce nent is made,' he adi ed.

Rail talks me Tuesday PAY negotiations for 200,000 railway workers will be resumed next Tuesday between the three railways unions and the British Rail Board. The unions are hoping for an improvement to the £30.8m deal offered last Tuesday which the board described as 'final'.

Cash for jobless shunted about WITH unemployment at the 1 million mark, the Tories are to encourage the jobless to move around the country looking for work.

Robert Carr, Secretary, for Employment, has announced details of a new employment transfer scheme to help workers move to jobs away from home.

The scheme, which comes into force on April 5, is designed to provide financial aid to workers who are unemployed or threatened with redundancy, and who are willing to move outside their area.

Lodging allowances, pending household removal, are increased and the present £100 miscellaneous expenses grant is replaced by a £600 rehousing grant for government trainees obtaining their first job in their training trade away from home.

In addition several conditions around the present scheme are relaxed as the Tories step up their attack on the right to work.