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Eight issues for just S2! rail unions for their next attack after the miners.
ment end of the closed shop in rail -The threat to take the NUR and ASLEF to court unless they 'voluntarily' pay the £200,000, and the threat of further court action over April's rail strike in Scotland against the closure of railway workshops, is a further tightening of the screw. It has to be met by a clear promise of industrial action by -Ine rail unions unless BR's threats are withdrawn.
But the NUR and ASLEF leadership are not tacks. NUR genera SCCECLaIY attacked Jimmy Alau the Closed shop by as a of the stupid industrial relations move that wil rebound on them.' Ray Buckton's statement was still worse. He argued, In order to have have good industrial ot ta- stability you have relations, but this attitude seems totally contrary to it.' -n orner words the danger of BR is that they are threatening stability! THE GOVERNMENT and BR management gave public warning last week that they have targetted the The two measures announced by BR manage— one demanding a £200,000 payment from the NUR and ASLEF for January's strike in support of Coalville depot, and the other announcing the • are open provocations. So is the sending by BR management of a letter to every rail workers informing them it is no longer a condition of employment to belong to a The new round of attacks have in fact been set up by the failure of the rail unions leadership to respond adequately to BR management's previous provocations The serpense to them ary support Coalville was solid from those depots which were called out. But the NUR ASLEF leadership worked to narrow down the solidarity action to a regional one.
There should have been a national strike called against BR's intimida tion at Coalville. Instead sensing a weakness in the response from the unions' leaderships, BR and the government were encouraged to push on with their attack.
The same result came By the tad Asane of the 1985 pay deal. A continual policy of retreat by the NÚR and ASLEF leaderships also served to undermine support for May's tube strike. Each concession has encouraged the government and BR management to go a step further.
Jimmy Knapp continued the process again with his statement over the threatened fine. He stated that BR proceeding with the fine would rule out cooperation with BA over new working measures. ' Ir action was made over • the closed shop CLIC he fine. However Knap made it clear the NÚ would continue negotiations on the management attacks - such as Driver Only Operation, producPO Box 50, London N1 2XP.
tivity and the closure of the workshops provid "stability restored to the situation.
This line of constant retreat is disastrous - and has already been proved tc be disastrous. It has to be broken with, and a clear poncy or maustral actiol to defend the NUR and ASLEF embarked Without that there is danger Thatcher will chalk up another victory in her assault on the unions. ed against the Toria, Nots Area NUM. 3OTGRAVI Socialist Action supporters in rail have produced a pamphlet called Railworkers and Miners', the story of Coalville during the 1984/5 miners' strike. It costs 50 pence per copy and is available from Socialist Action,
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HANDS OFF - WORKSHOPS
RAILWORKERS AND MINERS during no pay mines arke