meeting.
This task is now urgent. The proposed the quarterly. THEY 'LL at factory level. Anotber opportunity to launch a struggle for the engineering pay claim was deliberately stifled by the Communist Party-controlled District Committee at Inst week's Sheffield ADEN shop stewards quarterly The scene was sel by a grew release from the District Committee, two days prior to the meeting. predicting that there would be no moves locally over the claima, "due to loss of carnings daring the three-day week This ensured a poor attendance at At the shop semands' quarterly the line was put in an hour-long speech by Foster, ALEW National Organiser, who barely mentioned the chim Althouch he denied having specific knowledge (he is not on the Exccutivel, the message was clear caouth the Confederation of Stipbuilding and Engineering Unions would probably move to re-negotiate lbe claim, *taking into account the measures which the Labour Govemment had introduced The main thing was to get claims put in This was endursed by the spokesmar from Shardlows, who usually presents the line of the District Committee. He said that the national chaim was 'relesand and that factory level caims, plas a threshold agreement, was the way This line hed no great support, even Tom CP members. Balfour Darwins" plementation of the national overtime ban, of winning the fall claim, and preventing and Snow's Shop Stewards Committee called for a national strike.
BOOST FOR Two shop stewards at Firth Brown Fools called on the meeting to set up a DOcy to campain n le ara for a catsona strike for the full claimi. The backtracking of the Exccutive duting the three day week and the refasal to link ap with the miners had been a serious set back. Now it was op to the engineers to continue the struggle on the basis of no incomes policy, whateve The meeting obviously reflected the influence of the Sheffield Engineer, a bulletin written by ING milicants in the industry, One leading CP seward mond an amendment to the platform's resolution, to eliminate the limpliod acpeptance of re negotiation of the claim. His grounds wore that undoss this was done the left-wingers"
Would have a field day.
As a sop the final composite resolution included a ruference to a national strike but only in the context of giving support to the Executive in whatever action it wished to take to pursue the claim! The demagogy does nor coocral the complete reliance on the official leadership, which paralyses the rank and file at a time when it is clear that Scanlon and Ca, are anaolaneI unprepared to launch a serious stride The recall of the national convenors and shop stewards' meeting on 3 April is an important step, but it will he a wasted Execulive or contents itself with half nicasues topaaboo lor 2 national strike i an negent priority: where possible district atrikes sbould be called to launch the fighr for an all-out national stoppage, Only a policy such as thir will have any chance the Executive from doing a deal on the basis of a few extra bob Jean Jepson, the sacked convenor The strikers need money-the SS has refused doie. Last week York University Students Union showed the way hy donating 250 to the strike fund. Rush donarions and messages of rupport to the strike comnitree at. 39 St Hilda's Lane, Bridtington,