BR BROKEN OWN RULES

provocation,' he said.

'British Rail knew very well exactly what chaos it would have caused among our members. But no one even bothered to phone me to tell me they were taking this unprecedented step' Mr Buckton pointed out that British Rail had broken its own rules and procedures which state clearly that only qualified engine drivers can move trains.

The move does appear to be part of a deliberate plot by management to isolate the locomen and smash their resistance to accepting the high-speed diesel and the advanced Ford furnace men oppose closure THE FORD Motor Company intends to close the key blastfurnaces at Dagenham within the next three years and switch production, possibly to Europe.

Over 450 workers at the furnaces - which produce 300,000 tons of pig iron a year and serve all Ford plants have been given this shock news in letters from management.

passenger train on their terms.

As early as May during the talks which settled the rail dispute, the Rail Board promised ASLEF that drivers' pay rates would be reviewed upwards to compensate for the extra stress and responsibility involved in manning the new juggernauts.

But despite repeated requests from the union, a joint committee on the issue did not meet until last week because of British Rail's obstructive attitude.

Even this meeting merely The American-owned car giant says the furnaces are 'uneconomical' and must be closed.

But workers say the company intends to transfer production of the engine block pig iron as part of its move into the Common Market.

Ford intends to halve its own consumption of pig iron—now running at 75,000 tons a year.

Blastfurnace workers Ray Buckton ASLEF secretary discussed guide-lines future discussions.

All this time British Rail has been pressurizing ASLEF to test out the advanced passenger train at Derby without any firm commitments on pay or manning.

In this they were aided by leaders of the biggest rail union, the NUR, who have told their 5,000 drivers to take part in tests. 'Five or the Board might take 1 yesterday heard union officials tell a meeting there would be no cooperation in the rundown and the men would not be allowed to take interviews for other jobs.

Officials pledged to fight for the retention of the blastfurnaces.

'This could eventually include the use of industrial action,' said Fred Blake, a local six weeks ago hinted they nilateral action Transport and General Workers' Union official.

"They say they can buy pig-iron cheaper elsewhere and I suppose ducing thinking ot ro The added.

The proposed closure of the blastfurnaces will be discussed at the meeting this Thursday and Friday of the Ford national joint negotiating committee in London. and move the train. We warned of the trouble this would cause; said mir Buckton. 'They seemed to have changed their minds, but then the incident at Derby occurred?

'We have warned and warned about the frustration building up over this issue. If the executive of ASLEF had not called for Thursday's action, 1 am quite sure that widespread and prolonged unofficial strikes would have broken out,' he said.

Mr Buckton added that the NUR drivers would support ASLEF despite their own union's instruction to drive the experimental train.

'Locally the NUR members have not followed the FOUR HUNDRED NUR footplatemen at Crewe will stay away from work 'in sympathy' if ASLEF go ahead with the one-day strike, said Ron Lloyd, secretary of the Crew No. 6 NUR locomen's branch.

He said there was a principle at stake. BR had condoned inspectors movSocialist instruction in the past and I am sure they will do nothing on Thursday to prejudice their colleagues' fight,' he said.

The advanced passenger train is a key issue facing train drivers. The Derby experiment is the tip of the iceberg.

British Rail hopes to have 60 to 65 high-speed diesels in service by 1975, but these will be replaced by the advanced passenger train by 1977-1978.

The high-speed train will cut down the existing inter-city journey by a quarter and the reduction will be even more dramatic when the advanced trains come into service. The new trains will carry more coaches.

ing the advanced passenger train at Derby.

'You can rest assured that there will be a resolution from my branch to the national executive of the NUR deploring their attitude in not supporting ASLEF on such a vital principle as this, he said.

Labour These developments mean less transport units per route and therefore less drivers.

ASLEF has 14,000 drivers wastage' since single-manned 1965.

More redundancies within the industry are on the way.

The NUR expects a 50per-cent reduction in the signal-box labour force as lines are automated and Richard Marsh, head of the industry, has said 20,000 workers must go in the next five years.

Now British Rail chiefs are working on a secret plan to reduce the rail network from 11,600 miles to 7,000 miles.

Apart from more pay, ASLEF is demanding that each super train is manned driver and an assistant.

A claim based on the vast increase in strain caused by single-manning especially at high speeds. They also want improvements in the design of the cab. already lost by 'natural agreeing to engines in