AUEW chiefs stick to plant bargaining

FROM DAVID MAUDE ENGINEERS' union leaders meeting in Eastbourne yesterday de. feated a right-wing move to reopen pay negotiations at national level with the Engineering Employers' Federation.

They did so after Hugh Scanlon, president of the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers, told them the move would be a 'disaster'. debate, the AUEW : Tour-hour After a heated section National Committee threw out the motion from the Coventry district by 28 votes to 23 with one delegate abstaining.

The Coventry motion expressed deep concern at the National Committee's January 10 decision to refer the big pay and hours claim to district and plant level; shop stewards and convenors were put in an intolerable position.

In an emotional speech, Scahlon told the committee that whatever it decided on pay, they would not avoid the fight that was coming, however much they sought to do so.

He went on to describe how union negotiators had tried to 'hold in abeyance' Some points of the national claim in order to reach an agreement, only to receive 'one of the most impudent replies that could ever have been foretold'.

They had attempted to avoid a confrontation, even though it would have been far easier just to reject the employers' offer and go along the lines of a national stoppage.

I'm convinced that there are ALL TRADES EASTBOURNE Scanlon: Emotional speech those within the EEF who are deliberately trying to provoke such a situation, he said.

But the committee had to pursue the claim in such a way as to preserve the fabric union so that it could go on fighting.

If someone was out to provoke a confrontation to see who would call a stop to it first, he warned, it would not be the AUEW executive.

Moving the resolution, Coventry delegate Jim Griffin said that the union would be committing *industrial hari-kari' if it refused to go back to national negotiations.

He claimed that the executive had had no power to break off the negotiations in the way it did last December. Members had the right to expect that negotiations would be fully exhausted first.

While congratulating the Manchester district on the action it had taken, he claimed that 35 to 40 per cent of ..the rest of the union's 100 or so districts had not even reported to the national office on what action they proposed to take in support of the claim.

Lancashire delegate Len Brindle hit back vehemently. The only people who were anxious to re-open talks at national level were the employers, he said.

It's the first time they've been asked to fight like that; of course the won't all move at the same Bill Anten, delegate from Manchester, said that the managing director of his factory, Hawker Siddeley, which is sitting-in, could have moved the Coventry motion.

What would happen to the men now taking action if it were carried, he asked.

From SE "London Len Miseldine said that this was 'one issue on which we will not bend the knee'.

The membership would fight at plant level, while always leaving the door open for national negotiations.

But there would have to be some guarantee that such negotiations would be meaningful not expose union leaders to just a series of insults.

Liverpool delegate Derek Gough said that he had gone to the January 10 National Committee with a firm attitude.

'I was looking for a national strike, he said. But he had been convinced by what Scanlon and Birch had • said at that meeting. He added: 'We're not hoping to solve this three months, we're in a continual struggle.' Shortly after delegates arrived for the morning session, a fierce procedural i battle developed over whether the Coventry motion should be debated at all.

The executive had been constitutionally wrong to approve it for discussion, Scanlon explained, because it came not from a branch but from a divi: sional committee.

But if it was not debated it would appear that delegates were afraid of what it represented.

A move to strike it from the agenda was narrowly defeated by 28 votes to 24.

The conference went on to reaffirm its January decision to pursue the claim at district and plant level and to 'vigorously strengthen' this campaign.

THE EXTREME N and NW of Scotland will have scattered showers at first, otherwise it will be dry.

All other areas will be dry with sunny Intervals. Temperatures will be normal in all areas. Outlook for Friday and Saturday: Cloudy weather, with rain at times. ' will spread from the W, but S and E areas will start dry with some sunny intervals at first. Temperatures near normal.

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