PORTWORKERS BLUE AND WHIT UNITE FOR ‘Efficiency’? A DOCKERS’ 5 conditions VICTORY! The 7s.6d. is a sell-out

THE acceptance of a paltry 7s. 6d. a week—7s, 4d. after reductions—by the trade union side of the NJIC is a sell-out that will cost portworkers dearly. Not only is this pittance way behind the increase in the cost of living—it is an admission that the trade union leaders do not want to fight on behalf, of their members.

That this should happen at a time when the whole employing class is on the offensive is simply a cowardly retreat by the leaders. Yet Britain’s port- __ workers have a long and proud ‘history of ‘service to trade unionism. . of the bus strike are a closed book. They The traditional call of ‘an injury to : tefuse to mobilize the forces of the union _for an all-out struggle against the ema a a~ ntl t.. 312... 1...... sick scheme.

‘Third, a fall-back guarantee equal to the full basic wage.

‘Fourth, three weeks’ holiday, paid at the national average minimum.

‘Fifth, the granting of the full 35s. wage DOCKERS SUPPORT

Ab : with the te fanattiea, tl Hened thelr relia for six weeks so that) the marketmen would have a fighting chance in the struggle against unscrupulous employers?

All this is well known among the big ; moneyed interests that administer the giant monopoly concerns controlling port installations and shipping.

EMPLOYERS HATE US

Big business on the docks hates the militan portworker, because he is a man of principle who cannot be bought over and utilized against his fellow-men.

Above all else the employers hate the solidarity of the portworker and his capacity for rank-and-file organization.

They long for the day when they can bring him to his knees and return to the pre-war days of dog eat dog struggle which characterized the labour market in Dockland in the years before the war.

We are now on the threshold of big struggles in Britain. A slump is on the way and the bosses see this as a good opportunity to get back to “the old days’.

READY FOR BATTLE

The port employers and shipowners are getting ready for. battle. In the Tory Government they have a most reliable class ally, who can be trusted to co-operate with them in every possible way.

First item on the port employers’ agenda is to get rid of the Dock Labour Scheme.

While it is perfectly true that from the workpeople’s point of view there are many loop-holes in this scheme, the employers feel nevertheless that it will be much tess costly to push the portworkers directly on the dole than pay them for bomping. NlOVodaron ine OVkEIN Propane a remoli tion at the ‘Trades Union Congress that it should use its offices to encourage a united campaign between the two unions to eliminate non-trade-unionism on the docks.

The Congress decided to accept ‘previous question’ (which was moved by a _ wellit thin feoidsheet, written hy portwotheres for portwarkors and. thelr brothers in other industries, promiment militants and ordinary rank-and-file dockers in the various ports give their views on the dockers’ struggle, and some of them also say what they think about the necessity for a rank-and-file’

used to force the employers to come across.

If our leaders are not prepared to'do that, . then the rank and file must use their initiative to get wider support. Se “Your industrial conference is a good