ENGINEERS' FINE SNATCHED TODAY?

ENGINEEF industry in the Midlands, Merseyside and Manchester yesterday stopped work in the wave of strikes of their union.

TUC sits fence THE TUC General Council yesterday told unions to ignore Heath's bid to stop all pay talks-embarking on what could become a major clash with the Tories in a matter of weeks.

But they did so in an atmosphere utter complacency, reminiscent of a vicarage coffee morning, with today's state seizure of £55,000 from the engineering union not even getting a mention.

And while bridling at the Tory premier's dictatorial letter to the gasworkers' leaders last week, the union chiefs decided to arrange a round-table discussion with him on prices early in the New Year. • Letters will go out today from Congress House, the TUC's London headquarters, advising unions 'to disregard any statement calling for the suspension of negotiations'.

There is nothing in law to stop unions concluding agreements with employers during the freeze 'or putting pressure on employers to reach agreements', the letters will say.

TUC general secretary Victor Feather yesterday spoke of the 'widespread resentment' which had been aroused among trade unionists by Heath's statement.

Feather also denied Heath's assertion made in the House of Commons on Tuesday that a number of unions had already accepted that no offers could be made.

made inquiries of all the General Council this morning and could find no union which had accepted advice to suspend negotiations, he said. 'The Prime Minister must have been misinformed on this.' The General Council's failure to mobilize decisive action force the Tories out of office— and to try and return to backstage dealing with the government -opens up enormous dangers in front of the trade union moveBY A WORKERS PRESS REPORTER from the key sections of British this week in defe Despite Tory Press lies that the were apathetic, was heeded magnificently in all areas. And the AUEW membèrs received spontaneous support from other trade unionists. (Full reports of the demonstrations and pictures on page 12.)

The series of strikes were held on the eve of today's application in the National Industrial Relations Court to legally extract £55,000 from the union's funds. The fresh application to Sir John Donaldson follows a week of oeuvring in which obtaining the fine and costs has series of technical legal hitches.

'Ignore Heath letter' As defiance of the Industrial Relations intensified, the TUC General Council yeste rday decided to issue a directive that unions sh ould ignore Edward Heath's dictatorial bid to stop all present pay talks. (See our Industrial Correspondent's article on the TUC decision this page.)

At the same time six Post Office unions, representing 320,000 workers, have slapped in a substantial flat rate pay claim-operative from January 1.

It is the first such common claim by the unions in the history of Post Office pay bargaining. The claim involves postmen, telephonists, counter clerks, inland and overseas telegraphists, clerical and administrative stafi together with their supervisors and sales superintendents.

There can be no doubt left in anybody's mind that a major confrontation between the government and the union is now on the way.

Despite the craven capitulation of its trade union and Labour Party leadership, the working class has shown time and again that it will not surrender its basic rights and it won't stand for a massive attack on its standard of living.

Yet this is precisely the course his government have set. Preparing harsher attacks But the bankers and speculators in the Tory Party won't surrender their guns without a fight. Every day longer they remain in office gives them time they desperately need to prepare even harsher attacks on the working class—in the next round using the police and army if necessary.

That is why the campaign to force them office must be made the call of the hour. Mersey call for General Strike WIDESPREAD Industrial 100,000 workers downed tools over the £55,000 fines Imposed on the engineers.

for the Amalgamated Union unions. stoppage throughout the protest and dockers at around the port.

to a standstill as did ing factories in Liverpool.

new town was particularly effective. Otis, Elevators, Delco Engineering and by strike action.

'Daily Post'-was halted.

ment.

At FROM STEPHEN JOHNS action hit Merseyside IN LIVERPOOL yesterday as an estimated step.

heard Eddie Loyden of the Liverpool Trades Council call on union leaders to demand that the TUC orOne noticeable feature ganize a General Strike was the massive support against the government and its anti-working class legisof Engineering Workers lation. from workers in other trade 'It will not be sufficient to continue with demonsTransport and General trations and one day Workers' Union members strikes,' said Mr. Loyden. on building sites joined the 'More serious action is now necessary. As a first Liverpool and Birkenhead step the trades council are went on strike halting work calling on the TUC for a General Strike. This also The two major car plants should be the role of the —Vauxhall and Ford came leadership of all the workers involved in the protest. scores of smaller engineer- 'We have to continue the fight to commit the leaderThe movement in Kirkby ship to this militant action,' The said.

He warned that the Tory attack on basic rights went GEC's were all badly hit In hand with their policy to drive up unemployment.

The production of both He called on workers to local newspapers -the support the occupation by 'Liverpool Echo' and the the CAV workers at Fazakerley against the About 1,500 workers held plans by the Lucas mana march through Liverpool agement to close the faccity centre calling for a torv in April. General Strike and the re- Bill Creighton, chairman moval of the Tory govern- of the Mersevside Confederation of Shipbuilding Head and Engineering Unions BUST IRELA MOVI BI said yesterday's demostration was just a preliminary On January 19 the Confederation was calling out the whole of the Merseyside area against the Industrial Relations Act.

'If this does not defeat tht Act, then we should say there will be a complete whole working class in the country, he said.

Gerry . Russell, Merseyside divisional organizer of the AUEW, thanked other workers for standing by his union.

We believe that with this kind of support the Act can be defeated. We be lieve it must be defeated if the rank and file continues its resistance against this government and its measures.' • Three coachloads of demonstrators later went to mount a mass picket of the occupied CAV factory In Fazakerley, Liverpool. At the Pier Head meeting marchers were told that the trade union movement on Merseyside would have to give greater backing to the CAV sit-in strikers, who have completed more than ten weeks occupying the factory against closure.

Thursday