Government's Fuel Policy White Paper ANOTHER STAB AT MINERS Industrial Newsletter

NUR issues belated pamphlet statement Liner train struggle THE National Union of Railwaymen's executive has finally made its position clear on liner-trains-after more , than a year of mounting anger amongst railmen against methods for running the scheme.

A 12-page pamphlet has been issued by explain negotiations to its 270,000 members.

This came just a few days after a deal between British Rail and the Tartan Arrow express haulage company was finalised.

This scheme, which was announced in the 'Sunday Telegraph' on July 4 this year, plans two express freight trains running north and south each night between London and Glasgow, carrying the equivalent of 80 heavy lorry loads, cutting the time by half.

Investment

As The Newsletter commented at that time: "The most interesting thing about this story is that the firm is investing €500,000 in depots and handling equipment to be built on sites in Glasgow and London, taken on a 99-year lease from British Rail.' Although this scheme is separate from the liner-train scheme, it is the basis on which the Railways Board wants to operate handing the depots in all parts of the country to private hauliers.

The union pamphlet now concedes that such a scheme would 'pander to private road hauliers at the expense of the jobs of railway employees and the finances of the nation' (1)

But why did it take the executive until last month to actually vote against the scheme under the Railway Board's terms, and until now to put it down in writing?

How much sway has union secretary, Sidney Greene, had over the 24-man full-time executive? For, as "The Times' reported in August:

(Greene) . . . clearly feels personally that the union should accept the trains.' Divisions There are many executive members, representing such militant is still on Greene:

sway over EC?

Yet the more vital quite clear.

The scheme, according to Monday's 'Guardian' is expected to be operating before the end of the year.

It has the full backing of Tom Fraser, Minister of Transport, who, on behalf of the Labour government, said in earlier discussions the scheme would operate with or without union sanction.

To make it even clearer, especially to those in the union leadership: A nationalized industry and the jobs of thousands of workers in that industry are under attack from the government.

The railmen, in good faith, helped put this government into power hoping to see an end to Beeching-ism and the beginnings of an integrated transport system, as promised.

For the Tories But they see a so-called Labour government running the country for the Tories, bosses and the capitalist system, which will be strengthened by the utilisation of a nationalized industry like the railways. They also see so-called leaders of the trade union movement giving full backing to this government.

Rank-and-file railmen, who face a further sell-out on their demand for a wage increase at the hands of the Prices and Incomes Board, must themselves take up a fight before they are railmen no more.

They must make their leaders answer for their actions (or lack of actions) over liner-trains and reject the most recent talk of some sort of compromise with the Railways Board.

They must link up now with other trade unionists to answer the attacks by the Labour government on workers and the nationalized industries and threats of legislation against the unions.

Policies

This answer must be fought around the policies of the Young Socialists and the Socialist Labour League which can lead to nationalization of all the basic industries, including all transport, modernisation under workers' control, work-sharing and retraining at full pay. After mini-shift victory -38 hour week FOLLOWING their minishift victory many Midland car workers are now considering a 38-hour week.

Last week (as reported in The Newsletter), the employers were forced to abandon the four-hour Friday night mini-shift and allow workers a four-day, 40hour week.

Shop stewards' committees in the Austin factories are Shell-Mex drivers form action fight claim for pay increase DRIVERS employed by the Shell Mex BP group have formed an unofficial action committee to fight for their claim to a substantial increase in pay. This committee, said to be nationwide, is in no way connected with the Transport and General Workers' Union, to which most of the members belong. • Drivers at the Black Country Blackheath, say that a year ago, when they were on strike for five weeks, they found themselves isolated and entirely on their own, with no contacts or means of communication with depots of the company in other parts of the country.

Accordingly, depots and refineries throughout the country were contacted. As a result a meeting was held at Smethwick, with representatives from all regions.

'Our committee is not recognised by the union, but it can work on its own unimpeded by any other organisation, said drivers at Cakemore.

At present their basic pay is lavished on the miners by George Brown when he spoke at the Yorkshire Miners' Gala earlier this year. But how are the miners to be rewarded for their loyalty to Labour?

•HE government's White Paper on Fuel Policy, published last week, announces a slashing of coal production to between 170 million-180 million tons a year by 1970, and the closure of 150 more pits. The paper declares: 'Reductions in mining manpower will continue to be heaviest in difficult employment areas such as Scotland, the north-east and South Wales.' At the Yorkshire Miners' Gala a resolution was presented from the Yorkshire Area Council of the National Union of Mineworkers urging the government to maintain coal production at 200 million tons a year as the minimum necessary to prevent unemployment in the mining industry.

In reply, Brown urged the miners to wait until the government's plans were announced.

Now we can see these plans. What has Brown to say to the miners now? Can he deny that he knew all along that such attacks were being planned? now to press for four-night, 94-hour shift working.

Before last week's victory, the employers argued that four-night working was a danger to workers' health.

This argument is now being used against them for the shorter hours.

Some workers at BMC's Fisher and Ludlow plant have decided already to work only the 38-hour week.

committee depot at Cakemore Road, for a 41-hour week. In order to earn approximately f22, it would be necessary to work 55 hours one week and 66 the next. Their present aim is to get £23 10s. for a 49-hour week, guaranteed for 52 weeks per year.

A claim for this was put in a month ago, but talks between their union and employers have so far ended in deadlock. The men say that if they won their claim it would bring them into line with Esso company drivers who were recently granted wage increase.

Cakemore drivers say that the only offer from the management so far has been a revised bonus scheme. This would offer a 15s. rise in return for increased work output.

LOSS NOT GAIN

This, the drivers point out, would result in them losing a half-hour at overtime rates, or 27s. бd. over the week. In fact, therefore, the offer would represent a loss rather than a gain.

They were opposed to incentive bonus schemes also on the ground that they would cause 'innumerable accidents', since under such schemes 'the faster you drive the more money you get'.

They say: We reserve the right to call a lightning strike through our action committee, to show our disapproval of this situation. If that is the only way of achieving our object, then we have to take it. Every region is in agreement on that' They thought it possible that such a lightning strike might be fixed for some time before November 10, the date on which there is to be a further conciliation committee meeting between the union and employers. This might help the company to 'stop dallying and make up their minds'.

"The Times' of October 22 congratulated the government for not allowing 'sentiment' and an 'over-sized conscience' to prevail. This mouthpiece of the employing class described these proposals 'workmanlike', ', 'hard-headed' and 'to the government's credit'.

There is no doubt that these proposals, together with the rapid development of mechanisation in the mining industry, must mean considerable unemployment for miners.

Mr. Fred Lee, Minister of Power, and a so-called left-winger, has said that natural wastage will mean that only 20,000 men will lose their jobs.

Oppose govt. plans The Wilson government does not represent the miners. Brown deceived his listeners at the Yorkshire Miners' Gala. Miners must oppose this government's plans, together with dockers, railwaymen, car workers and all other sections of the working class who are under attack.

They must demand a socialist policy for the mines: • No pit closures unless agreed to and supervised by committees of miners.

No sackings. Alternative jobs with no loss of pay for all miners displaced by machinery or closures.

The trade unions to admit all to membership and take full responsibility for all youth unable.to find jobs.

Nationalization of coal distribution and of all firms concerned with mining machinery.

Nationalization of all rich industries—such as chemicals -which use coal.

Nationalization of the oil monopolies.

Abolition of trade secrets. Open the books to show the real profits of all private firms concerned with the fuel industries and their real relations with the nationalized mines.

RENT

STRIKE FIGHT GROWING TENANTS on a rent strike at at Malvern Road, Kilburn, London, had a big response to their meeting in Carlton House on Thursday (October 21). After only two hours' leafletting, 90 people attended the meeting.

Explaining the progress of the movement, secretary of the tenants' association, George Murray, revealed that investigations had shown that the landlords yielded £6,200 per annum on properties concerned.

On June 15 some of the dwellings were declared 'unfit for human habitation' by the Brent Borough Council. But people are still living in them. Does that mean we aren't human?' asked Murray.

Guest speaker, John Evans, London organiser of the National Association of Tenants and Residents, called on all present to join the tenants' association and build it up.

He advised tenants to raise funds and welcomed a Young Socialist dance for this purpose. He also said he did not disagree with a YS proposal for a demonstration on the housing question.

Dustman

picket fined LEAMINGTON dustmen picketing their depot against "blackleg' contract labour, employed after they went on strike over the dismissal of a shop steward, experienced a taste of coming events recently.

The dismissed shop steward and leader of the strike, Frank Wright, of Leamington Spa, was arrested and fined fl for obstructing the free passage of the highway.

Labour MP for Coventry South, Mr. William Wilson, defending, said that the men were at their depot and had the right to peaceful picketing under the Trades Disputes Act of 1906.

The Act also gives the right to stop people and speak to them, said Mr. Wilson.

Hands off