Lancs Miners Support National Assembly of Labour

"THE Newsletter of September 19 deals with the question of Tory plans for mass unemployment, mentioning.

that some 85,000 miners amongst others are due for the road. For once this underestimates the scope of -the Tory-led employers’ plans. Readers may find the following figures derived from the National Coal Board’s: latest plan for the coal industry of interest.

National production of coal in 1958 was 215.8 million tons, manpower 699,000, already down by 23,000 over 1957, output per man year 291.88 tons. On completion of the new plan, that is before 1965, output will te down to some 200 million tons, manpower down to 587,000, that is by no less than 112,000 men, whilst ‘productivity per man year will be around 340.88 tons, an increase of 16.79 per cent.

The figures for the Lancashire coalfield are no less ‘significant. Output in 1958 was 14.7 million tons, manpower 54,800, productivity 286.25 tons per man year. The new proposals would cut overall production by 2.2 million tons to just over 124 million tons, manpower goes down by 15,800 to 39,000 from 54,800, that is over 27 per cent, whilst output per man year is raised to 327,18 tons, an increase of 21.97 per cent. over 1958. Add to this the closure of almost all the collieries in the coalfield, perhaps 50 of the present 66, part of the national quota of over 250 pits.

* The pattern of the plan is a striking confirmation of the correctness of the line taken by The Newsletter. It spells disaster and poverty for countless thousands of ‘miners. Less employment, coupled with the prospects for those ‘fortunate’ enough to remain in a job of harder stints, tighter discipline of the ‘do it or get out’ variety, the cutting of real wages. Already working ‘Miners are feeling the pressure of the drive to cut price lists in each new negotiation. This, in turn, stimulates resistance to the Board’s efforts to enforce poverty as the price for the tottering capitalist economy of Britain.

‘Contrast this rising determination of rank-and-file miners to resist with the attitude of our present leaders. These gentlemen, on salaries ranging up from the £30 a week mark, new car each five years or less, impressive expense accounts, seek constantly to dampen rising militancy, to keep areas apart to minimize discussion -and therefore clarity as to the real meaning of the new plan and even fawningly accept as an unfortunate necessity the position of the Board.

* In this light the National Assembly of Labour, sponsored by The Newsletter, takes on a vital importance for British miners. At the Assembly, which ‘becomes an urgent necessity to us, we will be able to form the basis for a new rank-and-file movement, intimately linked with other sections of workers engaged in parallel struggles, without the unity of which miners cannot win their fight. We can learn to draw the conclusions of a movement. based at the bottom, linking political and industrial action, forge a weapon which can lead to the destruction of the real cause of our troubles—capitalism. Every miner who attends the Assembly is a victory for the working class. lta etelellttetteti tit tt tT Ti tT TTT yyy yyy ry ty yy tt tt tt tad By E. WOOLLEY — LONDON ASSEMBLY CAMPAIGN UNDER WAY Sales of The Newsletter are steadily increasing as the drive for the National Assembly of Labour gets under way.

One hundred and ten copies’ were sold outside the Holloway bus garage on Friday. Newsletter sellers were also outside the Hendon, Camberwell, Peckham and Stockwell garages on Friday, and between them sold over 100 copies of the paper.

On Saturday morning, a speaker from the Socialist Labour League warned the dockers at London’s Royal Group of Docks of the shipping employers’ proposals to amend the Dock Labour Scheme. - ) During the course of the meeting 110 Newsletters ” were sold. On Thursday dinner-time a similar meeting © was held at the London Dock where 45 copies were sold: Sales were also held at Surrey and Commercial Docks and the West India Dock.

A large meeting of building workers heard Brizn Behan, chairman of the Socialist Labour League spezk on the League’s policy outside the Shell Mex Site, ‘Waterloo last Friday. After the meeting 87 Newsletters © were bought by building workers and over £2 was contributed towards the cost of the National Assembly. © Public meetings of the League were held this week in Lewisham, Paddington and South Oxhey (Harrow). These will be followed by 12 more public meetings in London before the National Assembly of Labour.

THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF LABOUR meets in St Pancras Town Hall on Sunday, November 15.

It is open to all those who are fighting against capital-. ism: in industrial struggles; against rent increases; against the H-bomb; and in the Labour Party. Visitors’ tickets (price 2s.) may be applied for on the form. below. , NAME —... sac eccccccccecccecccccccccccccecccesarsecesccegesectesececacteseecsens POMC O Cece cece reser cere sareereeee Ess ceeeee ees EEeCeEEEeEesesesneeseses® ORR Ue Ue ECE SEES CCE EEECEC US Sererrrererrrrrrrery sy Ted?

POOR ee meee ECOL LORE OOH EEOERE RHEE HET EEEE EEE EEE E EEE OEE HEHEHE SHED EEE HEED Organization PCa mee eee eee eee EEE eee ease einceccccenerseececuces , Postal orders should be made payable to the Socialist Labour League and sent with this form to its address at 186, Clapham