Building Workers Demand Action

On January 14 the building trade employers are due to give their answer to the claim of the building unions for a fourpence per hour wage increase. This week, The Newsletter gives space to the opinions of building workers on the claim and presents their ideas on how they consider the fourpence can be won.

John Disley, a Merseyside bricklayer and a member of the Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers was emphatic that the 'claim will not be won without a struggle.'

What is needed in Disley's opinion is a 'publicity campaign to win support for building workers.

'Our unions should be blowing sky-high the lie peddled by the bosses and the press that high rents are caused by high wages. This is nonsense. The reason for high rents is the rake-off taken by the banks and the building rings. In some cases two-thirds of the rent goes in interest charges.'

He was against waiting for the employers to say no before the unions start a campaign. 'In previous years our union leaders have waited until the engineers' claim has been decided. This time we should get together with the engineering unions and discuss how the strength of both sections can be used jointly to get both our wage demands,' was his idea.

He told me how on Merseyside the lack of Federation organization on jobs is a big weakness. Along with a wages campaign there 'should be a campaign for Federation organization and the recognition of Federation stewards. This will put teeth into our fight.'

Men disgusted over Union inactivity

Federation steward at the Laing's Site in Great Queen Street London, John Roy has been 10 years in the building trade and is a veteran of many battles with the employers. John was one of the sacked stewards at South Bank and fought McAlpine right to the bitter end.

He was disgusted at the inactivity shown to date by the official union leaders to prepare for any fight for the fourpence.

'The employers will turn the claim down in my opinion. So we should start now preparing for a battle which includes a withdrawal of labour if necessary.

'I feel there should be a meeting of all the London stewards, called by the National Federation of Building Trade Operatives. This should be followed by meetings on every site and in the union branches. That's the way to swing the men behind the campaign and to show the employers we mean business,' was John's opinion.

Jack Gateley, a Manchester branch secretary of the Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers and a Federation steward, too, was sceptical about the employers granting the full fourpence.

He told me: 'The Manchester N.F.B.T.O. are planning a demonstration on January 11. We must work vigorously to make it a big success.'

To my question 'what if the employers turn the claim down?' he replied: 'Then meetings of the rank-and-file should be held on every job and in every area to prepare for industrial action in the summer.'

I asked him, why the summer? He explained: 'winter is a bad time in the industry. But that does not mean we should sit back and do nothing. We should use the winter and spring to build up towards action in the summer.'

Jack went on to urge the need for a rank-and-file movement. 'The union leaders negotiating in their London offices and tied to the negotiating machinery will get no results. Look what happened to our claim for the forty-hour week. It's been put in cold storage.

'That's why we need an active rank-and-file movement and the utmost unity between militants in different industries and of different political views.'

Himself a member of the Communist Party, Jack Gateley told me how in Manchester and Salford they were already building such a movement 'which unites miners, engineers, building workers, etc., and in which members of the Communist Party, the Labour Party and the Socialist Labour League work together.'

Leeds A.S.W. member urges rank-and-file action

Alan Exley, a Leeds member of the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers, asked me: 'How can we rely on the leadership to win the fourpence when despite the building boom since the end of the war they have allowed the employers to maintain so many of the medieval conditions that operated before 1939.'

He cited the 'primitive toilets, cattle-truck transport provided by many firms for their workers and a Working Rule Agreement imposed on the workers in 1927 and still in force.'

Alan felt that 'the way forward is through the formation of rank-and-file committees. This is the way to get a militant fight for our demands and to ensure we force the leaders to fight. Also it's the only way we can hope to hold back the employers' attacks,' he concluded.