No backing for Scunthorpe steel sparks

NINE HUNDRED electrical workers at Scunthorpe's Anchor site, who walked out ifter 38 men were sacked, have failed to get strike backing from men in other trades:

The British Steel Corporation has refused to re'Monetary union' far from reality Pompidou attack on sterling PRESIDENT POMPIDOU called for the ending of POMPIDOU called for the ending and the return to fixed parities 'in a relativelv shor to fixed parities 'in a relatively shor conference on Tuesday. Replying to a question correspondent, he said: 'I strongly regretted that return to a fixed parity before January 1. I the assured on this point, and I regret it'.

Referring to a letter from British Prime Minister, Edward Heath, saying that the floating pound should not disturb the working of the Common Market or its agricultural policy, Pompidou insisted 'this situation cannot go on for long'.

He went on to say: "The decision taken by the Paris summit to take the step towards economic and monetary union implies fixed parities. So I hope sterling will return to one soon. Otherwise it would raise problems for the Community and for Britain's role in it' Pompidou's attack on the floating pound reflects French fears that Britain's role inside the Common Market will be to work with the United States to disrupt the plan for European monetary union aimed at the dollar.

POMPIDOU Bitterness over the pound shows the tremendous contradictions which are building up inside the Common Market as each "partner' struggles to improve its position in the trade war.

Behind all the ballyhoo which greeted Bri entry, there is deep suspicion that Britain will as a Trojan horse representing American inter in Europe as well as blocking moves against A further devaluation of the pound would sharpen British competition in the Common Market and also act as a protective device to keep out European imports.

Most of the issues dealt at the press conference cerned internal policies. marked the entry of the Presi into the election campaign tended to win support for Gaullists.

Tyre return

SOME 950 T&GWU members who have been on strike for the last week at the Shellhaven oil refinery, Essex, returned to work today. The dispute was over a management directive that a tyre change should be carried out by non-maintenance workers under the terms of a new productivity deal.

The workers walked out on January 4 when six men were suspended for refusing to do the work. The management has now agreed to pay the six the wages they had lost during their suspension. The dispute will be referred to arbitration. employ the men and an electricians' and plumbers' union (EPTU) spokesman said yesterday that the strike could not be given union support because it was called in breach of agreed procedures.

Scunthorpe EPTU Mr O. H. Hancock tish Tests die-hard said every case of the sacked men would be fully investigated.

The men were dismissed after all the electricians decided to work to maximum safety in December as a protest against safety conditions.

Mr Hancock said

the floating pound ț time' at his press trom "The Times' Britain could ught I could Hasn't King's audience dwindled!

CECIL Harmsworth King, the exhead of the International Publishing Corporation (IPC), has fallen on hard times.

Once he could air his views in the largest newspaper chain in the world. He had editorial control of such mass-selling papers as the 'Daily Mirror' , 'Sunday Mirror, 'People' and 'Daily Record' in Scotland.

King would pontificate to his tens of millions of readers on everything from the state of the Vietnam war, to politics, to economics.

But he got the push from IPC three years ago.

And hasn't his audience dwindled. At the 'small hall' at the Conway Hall, London, on Tuesday night, King was speaking on the subject of inflation.

His lecture was organized by the Ethical Society and its secretary, Mr Peter Cadogan. Only 50 turned This not been told of any safety problems at the site. He said: If they had brought it to me, the chances are we could have solved it in five minutes.' We understand the men may be working to maximum safety as a means of putting pressure on BSC to increase their pay. bered in their chairs as King droned on about the 'ethics of inflation'.

It was a sad come down for the Fleet Street baron who once aspired to high office in a self-styled businessmen's government.

King was offered a peerage on two occasions (or. was it three?) and a place as 'Lord of Exports' in Wilson's government.

But he preferred to walt for the economic crisis and the chance to take more superior positions in the corporatist Britain.

Since his fall from office and from gracebecause Cecil King (I) with Ethical Society secretary Peter Cadogan on Tuesday night.

An 8p-an-hour rise negotiated by the union natiohally has been frozen by the Tory government's pay standstill.

Electrical work at the site is nearing completion and the final labour run down is expected to begin in about two weeks' time. strike