Union officials face sharp criticism Telegraphists rap productivity dealing

POST OFFICE union leaders will today face sharp criticism of their decision to sign a three-vear productivity deal involving graphist members.

The criticism will come at a meeung between telegraphists' leaders at the Electra House, London, overseas cable headquarters and the union's telecommunications assistant secretary, Kim McKinlay.

A particular source of anger to the telegraphists is the fact inat tne Union ot rost Uttice Workers' executive went ahead and signed the deal, on October 26, without first consulting either the rank and file or their branch officials.

Tom Jackson, UPW general secretary, has admitted in circular to his members that the main factor in the signing was the Tories' possible imposition of a pay freeze.

This, he argues, would have prevented the telegraphists getting the flat-rate payments of up to £95 a year he has negotiated.

The union executive has since conceded a ballot on issue.

Telegraphists reply that since the deal paves the way for a 36-per-cent cut in their grade they are opposed to the deal in principle.

Jackson told Workers Press that there was no real difference between signing and then balloting and balloting first.

'If the membership don't like the deal, we will of course rescind it,' he said.

The Electra House branch. of the UPW will attempt today to commit the union's London district council to a campaign against the slashing of jobs in the Post Office through productivity deals and mechanizaIt wants the council to call a demonstration to highlight the dangers of redundancy.

teleUPW's Tom Jackson Inflation rampant in Italy AN UNPRECEDENTED rate of inflation has hit the Italian economy. It was announced yesterday that there has been a five point rise in Italy's wage-related cost-of-living scale over the last three months.

This means that inflation is now at an annual rate of 10 per cent and increasing very rapidly.

The opportunity has been grasped by Italian capitalist spokesmen to call on the trades unions to hold down their wage claims.

Treasury Minister Giovanni Malagodi has called for a 'voluntary policy of responsibility and self-discipline'.

On Tuesday, Guido Carli, Governor of the Bank of Italy, stated that an incomes policy was the only way to overcome the dilemma of unemployment and inflaGreater London Rally Bus strike 'freeze'? A DELEGATE conference is expected to be held in Falkirk today to discuss the strike by 1,100 maintenance engineers employed by the Scottish Bus The men are demanding …a weekly increase of £7.50. The company's offer of £2.23 a week for skilled men was totally rejected.

However, the men may now have to call off their strike since it has fallen foul of the Tory government's proposed "freeze' legislation.

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appear in Larbert. Platform staff are demanding the immediate reinstatement of the man who was dismissed instantly on Monday for allegedly smelling of drink while on duty.

After a meeting between transport union officials and bus group representatives, the dismissal was changed to a sentence of sever cavS notice to allow for discussion.

But platform staff have refused to accept this and have rejected union officials' advice to call off the strike in favour of this settlement.

They are demanding the conductor's immediate reinstatement.

Speakers:

G. HEALY national secretary)

CONNIE FAHEY ow tenants' leader) CORIN REDGRAVE ROY BATTERSBY (ACTT)

ALAN THORNETT Juty senior. steward s Motors Assembly, Cowley, Oxford)

GARY GURMEET (Editor Keep Left)

Chairman:

MIKE BANDA ¡entral Committee) ind tenant speakers a personal capacity)

Admission 15p