Devlin plan for stewards rejected

THE election of shop stewards by Transport Report—would be opposed in Hull docks.

This was clear after Tim O'Leary, secretary of the union's docks group, and Jack Jones, acting assistant general secretary of the union, visited the Yorkshire port last week following the seventh one-day strike by 3,500 dockers.

The men have also banned overtime and weekend working in support of their claim for a 70 per cent increase in fall-back pay —from £2 Is. 8d. to £3 12s.-and improvements in piece rates.

Having lost the initiative to the Unofficial Port Workers' Committee (whose 23 members belong to either the T&GWU or the National Amalgamated Stevedores Were suggested tomat shop stewards be introduced, beginning with the Albert Dock, in the hope of improving liaison between the union and the workers.

DASH PROPOSAL

The proposal for stewards was originally proposed to the Devin Commission by London Liaison committee leader and 'Communist Party supporter, Jack Dash, and was adopted in the Devlin report!

However, as last Sunday's "Observer' pointed out, the docks modernisation committee - the body formed to implement Devlin's recommendations—is making 'moderately good' progress, but that Hull represents a 'sore thumb' of its deliberation.

Suspicious of the stewara proosal, 1 understand the dockers demanded to hear from the T&GWU leaders how stewards would be selected.

They then made it clear that, when stewards are needed, they will be elected by mass meetings of dockers, if necessary with an equal number of 'Blue' union and T&GWU members being elected.

ADAMANT

They are equally adamant about winning their own demands despite suggestions of a local official that 'We are not in a position, as a responsible union, for calling strikes to squeeze everything out of people all the time'.

Two weeks ago they rejected an increase in rates for certain cargoes, considering this inadequate, but illustrating that these rates should have been reviewed earlier.

The great attention given to the series of one-day stoppages shows and General of the Devlin that the government and employers are determined to crush any opposition to its plans modernisation and streamlining. Newspapers and television programmes have repeated stories of 'intimidation' and 'violence'without a shred of evidence.

Crossman

in-workers walk out WHEN Housing Minister, Richard Crossman, came to inspect a nearly completed block of flats in Runcorn, Cheshire, last Friday, building workers on the site stopped work.

About 60 workers picketed the site with large placards declaring: Nationalize the building industry to lower rents and rates, No legislation against the unions, and ' "Labour only"

means compensation for accident or death'.

The day before, 30 joiners including the federation steward, had been sacked. The federation steward approached Crossman who declared he had no time to discuss with him. He wanted to raise the question of legislation, of 'labour only' contractors and of the victimisation of militant trade unionists.

Before Crossman went into the flats he was stopped by the pickets and met with shouts of 'Why don't you oppose the laws against the unions?' His reply was: 'You don't know what's in the Bill. Why don't you wait and complain when you do 'Why don't you tell us?' said some of the men.

Afterwards, Ron Grieve, one of the redundant joiners, clared: 'Instead of socialist policies, this government legislates against the workers.

Whether we've read the Bill or not, we know what it means' Ron MeCormick, the Federation steward said:

"These Labour • leaders are covering up what's in these laws. It's a conspiracy against the workers. Our members here think that these sackings and the way I was sacked is an indication of what to expect in future if this legislation goes through? MINERS