THE closure of Warrington Steel will be a devastating blow to the area. Already unemployment is higher thạn the national average; 45,000 people are chasing 1,500 job vacancies.
Warrington is a viable operation. past two years we have submitted to productivity deals, de-manning, and so on. Now, it is clear that questions must be raised about the effectiveness of such a moderate attitude.
Such an attitude has led to management in'forming union officials on 17 April of BSC's decision to close the entire works. This was not only inhuman but contrary to the provisions of the 1975 Iron and Steel Act, which states there will be 12 months consultation and negotiation given to bodies representing the majority of the workforce.
The ISTC is now testing the legality of this refusal by BSC management to consult in the High Court. Time to prepare the fightback is Vital to us — wnich is wny manazement throw normal procedure out of the window. It's the same thinking which informs their refusal to open their books for our inspection. In fact, we know that management destroyed all the books from 1975 to today.
Warrington is not the only enfence of death. The secret SC document just published by the ISTC show that a butchering job has been in preparation for many, many months. More recent revelations show that both Llanwern and one of the Scunthorpe threatened with total closure along with Consett and Warrington. But everyone seems prepared to go like sacrificial lambs to the slaughter. A common fight is the only way to stop this. Socialist Challenge 10 July 1980 Page 6 LAST week's meeting between the TUC Steel Committee and the board of the British Steel Corpora tion resulted in deadlock over the closure of the Bewley Road plant at the Warrington works. Colin Over the has removed or plant under plants are * courages them.
At present Llanwern is looking up the motorway to the Consett closure for its slavation, and Ravenscraig is looking down the motorway for the same reason. But the report shows clearly that no one is safe. Every capitulation only enHerd, ISTC convenor at the plant which is scheduled to close on 18 July, attended the meeting and explains what was at stake.
It only brought total closure nearer.
sett is a big producer.
decided to sack won't impress BSC solidarity is there.
throughout dustry. *Warrington The acceptance of slimline at• was underway as we go to press. Port Talbot and Llanwern didn't save anything.
A determined decision by Consett to go for an all-out fight would completely alter this situation. Warrington is just a small rolling mill; ConBSC will not change its policy by arguments about viability. Consett workers have to start from the fact that BSC has them even though they are recent venouse ecomes or weedy brosie tion. All the viability arguments in the world An all out united fight is needed. Warringtor has got commitments from Rotherham, Skinningrove, and Scunthorpe that they will not take our orders while we are fighting. This shows that Sirs has said he will back our fight. Good. A united front of the whole movement based on no closures and no job loss would send shockwaves the country and make the Tories think twice about destroying the British Steel inBut if Warrington decides to fight, we will take our fight through to the end. If the TUC Steel Committee can't see the urgency and the need for a national fight against the corporate policy of the BSC, then it is up to us, the workers within BSC, to take through the issue.
stewards recomended a fight against closure at the mass meeting last Monday, but it was decided to ballot the workforce. This A letter to Warrington have no future.
are ours as well. What's the point of us trying to find work when there are no jobs to have. 'PLEASE don't sell our jobs. It's up to you to fight for our future. If you accept redundancies we might as well accept unemployment. Remember us when you decide whether to fight or give up. We need your jobs or we'll "They are not only your jobs that you are selling Th
cheaply than bringing it in, with only