FOR a trade union to put considerable time resources into publishing an 180-page book, filled facts and figures and outlining a blan for the industry in which its members work, is a major event. The Iron and Steel Trades Confederation, the major steel union, done just that.
The book, New Deal for Steel, published last week, documents how:
SLCCIWOLKCES lowest paid in Europe, With ne longest working week and fewest nondays * Labour costs per ton are the cheapest in Europe.
waste and mismanagement are the hallmark of the BSC.
The pamphlet also contains the secret management documents which male rations over the debration or out. the callous boardroom entire steel communities. Material Such in-depth material can only be an aid to serious trade unionists needing to grapple with the problems of working in an industry wracked by uncle color ecosull.
Unfortunately, Steel is dead wrong in its starting for a guide to action in the fight to save jobs and protect their interests will be led up a garden path For management, the pamphlet endorses the fundamental proposition of the BSL: inal ll shoula acnieve tne pron levels set by the Tories. It then tries to that the workers' interests.
But any serious militant knows that their interests are 100 per cent incompatible need to boost profits. pamphlet Amounis to ment plan which involves an attack has on workers' rights.
what Is me basic prodiem as lai as the ISTC leadership is concerned? It's bad management.
LIC present management. The inefficienand waste which coccus is scandalous But the roots of this inefficiency can't be put down simply to the perScholey. The wrong investment decisions come from an inability to deal with ac tracy comercocon ty of the capitalist market. A new management team Any proposal that BSC workers snoula take tne responsiblity for the ups and downs market under a LCW Lette this is what the pamphlet gets caught up in, when it sees workers' interests «scene to sou dons.
MacGregor has been brought in to be more ruthless than Villiers. This for misintease needs oine bosses and Tories in the midst of the recession.
Just consider the ISTC proposa that the management of BSC against market. This is plain silly, as an alterdetence - ing their ability mass unemployment. the That's At best; the At worst. it unless whole rotten system.
Millions The document.
Today the pamphlet , of Villiers and would made capitalist while me recognise.
is a result profits. away. native to Butcher MacGregor. Working people today are coming to see that the way capitalists prepare for a new upturn is by boosting profits. boosting productivity and by attackinterests, weakening to resist by enforcing losses that steelworkers face today. solution to the yet in our society, tere is no otner way to prepare for an upturn, in the we break with the literally millions of workers are being victimised for living in a capitalist. society which is governed by the anarchic laws of proecond be anade to suit penices "suit people's and slumps occur regularly as the bosses determine production accorAnd that's the fundamental point A Damoner oesn' The responsibility for the crisis in the steel industry doesn't lie of decisions taken and their over-riding interest in making But the jobs which BSC is willing to let go by the board to keep theil books in the black are jobs that will disappear for tomorrow's workers as well. That's why job losses have to be fought: they aren't our jobs to give Average Japan (1974-7)
Arbed (Luxemburg)
Sacilor (France)
Italsider Ensidesa (Spain)
BSC major world steel companies through the seventies September.
is scheduled.
Tories'.
text of a model resolution appealing for sponsorship.
£6,800 $4,600 Source: BSC comparative financial statistics -THOUSANDS of leaflets have been produced by the Mobilising Committee Against Unemployment which has called for a lobby for jobs at the TUC Congress in Sponsors for the lobby are growing and now every effort needs to be made to get more delegations to Brighton on Wednesday, 3 September. That's when the economic debate The fighting basis for the lobby is: 'No to unemployment — for 35-hour week now!' and 'For a fight to kick out the If your union branch, shop stewards committee, or Labour Party will support the lobby, then write to the Committee, c/o 328 Upper Street, London NI 2XP, and get the NeM Deal for published last weet Steel Trades Confe seticl 'The return to fina business proposal f disregard for work steel industry Pag calculanions nave."
BSC managem three options hs. Forst, ohe Red invo ver Costs Lackenby plants, sett and Lianwern Ravenscraig plant.
The second poss 'Llanwert орпов workers whose plat open if adopted, cosure steel industry!.
Finally, the Sou Talbot and Llanwe By looking at disadvantages oi a siderations which in thousands ol stee with increased prod agreements those plants which has decided will rei The surprising document is that its put into effect by month. This has oc corporation where to be "consultati
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