UNDEFEATED BUT sold out, that was the general response in the NCU to the two to one vote to accept British Telecom's offer and end the first indefinite strike in the union's history. In itself the strike was a massive gain. Not only did the resolve and solidarity of the members catch the BT bosses and government by surprise but it shattered the myth of Thatcher's share owning democracy. BT's attempt to beat the was rudely thwarted both by the ballot to strike and by a 98 per cent vote in meetings up and down the country on the Sunday before the action Even the right wing executive, with their sights trained on the forthcoming ballots to elect the leadership found cause to temporarily halt Goldings impatience lo sellit dispute at any cost their refusal Leeds internal NCT recommend the deal negotiated on the Sunday before the return to work The executive were pusher by the membership every inch of the way.
It is however hardly surprising that the membership eventurally succumbed to accepting the offer when it became apparant that Golding was despite the fact that the strike was begining to send shivers down the spine BT management who were under pressure to settle Golding's claim to have secure industrial eace for two years about as reliable as Neville Chamberlain's 1938 claim to have achieved peace in our time. Not only have we conceded tion package, for a rise lit tle different to tha we originally took action over, but we also face an onslaught on jobs management over the next three , years They have already made it clear that they aim to shed at least 30,000 jobs The task for us now is to build on the strengh and confidence shown by the membership during the