coal.
Hampton is the signalman who manager deemed 'mentally stable in December because he refused to let coal lalns pass. Inanks to the strong stand taken by THE PRESSURE on Coalville's railworkers never lets up. Every day management is on the prod. British Rail bosses are testing the commitment of this 100-strong depot in the heart of Leicestershire's divided coalfields where workers still refuse to shift the mountains of scab Victims of a never-ending dirty tricks campaign, these railworkers nevertheless continue to score significant victories in their daily contests with management. The case of Edwin Hampton is a case in point.
the LDC (shop stewards) at Coalville, management retreated on this disgrace ful 'medical' verdict, today Hampton is back at work.
With the agreement of all concerned he now works ała signal box about 25 miles from Coalville.
NUR guard Last Thursday, Hampton was confronted with a coal train bound for the Rugeley power station in the Trent Valley. After consulting with LDC. rampion relusca lo lowel the the crossing next to his signal box. this coal train could proceed.
This action - taken on a branch line - is enough irritate management, but it's not totally disruptive. However, the next train to draw up to the signal behind the coal train was a tanker Furthermore, the tanker extended bevond the branch line, blocking the mainline trattic on a busi stretch of track between Derby and Birmingham.
For a full hour Hampton stood tirm Finally, management decided to run the engine around the coal train and take it back into Derbyshire!
this in itsell is note worthy, but the real questTOn wasn't Hampton sent home?
Roy. Butlin thinks it's partly because Hallaze ment sees that the morale at the depot remains high. 'The 17 January regional strike to protest against the VICUMSAON of loyal members boosted morale lovo per cent 'And we won a very important COnCeSSION because the action was so solid. Since then, management has agreed that we can do alternative work at the depot if we refuse to shift coal. This is a demand we have raised from the start.
'Now about four to six guards each week are out road learning. This concesSION has reduced the numbers of men being sent home without pay by about one half, so it's a significant victory.
Management at CoalVille has its own problems. As Butlin points out: 'The area train crews manager has just been given the sack. Inis man - • Wilson McIntosh was the only one left of the management team which existed when une miners suike started 'All the rest have been sacked or have moved. U1 course, McIntosh's real crime is that he didn't get the coal trains moving Despite its temporary difficulties, BR continues on a collision course with Coalville's railworkers. Consultation over the lola chance. for the new May timetables has been totally Dy management's refusal to let the LDC see BR's future plans for the depot.
not hard to see according to Butlin. 'This report contains pro posals for. cutbacks protests, demonstrations and the opening of our movement's Every leader of our movement who KEN LIVINGSTONE AD Roy Butlin speaks there is no way management wants to provoke action against these plans while the continues.' The Coalville workers have probiels well For instance, sticall o1 anylous letters have been sent to the Leicester newspaper in ar attempt to undermine moralé But the recent dirty trick is more serious. Last week ROv heard from his tax office We MOC mation, he was told, than what you have your letter. The catch? Butlin never wrote to th tax office!
But someone else had forging his signature, and Stop 'asking' whether the funds collected in support of the Coalville members would be taxable.
So, thanks CLO some crafty soul who is out to destroy the vital solidarity Majesty's Her Tax HIS OCCLOT will no doubt be preparing close investigation Coalville's funds None these dirty aave deterred the workers to date, and if Dull nas Is • way, devious methods will have the exact opposite effect.
'Our past expenenc has shown that so long a we get out the facts about the harrassment we face our resolve to stand firm hardens with each attack on us.