OVER 400 Liverpool typists, machine operators and secretaries begin their eighth week of strike action and are fighting for a local regrading claim to end their notoriously low pay and undervalued skills.
All are stuck on the lowest grades local government. more than E50 a week, be- tew earn ing unable to advance to berrer grades, even after years of service in important and supervisory jobs.
June The Liverpool action began in June on a claim submitted in November.
had steadfastly refused to Socialist Challenge 20 August 1981 They are employed by Liverpool City Council negotiate responded to a work to rule by promptly OVEr fifty typists. Weekly The typists run their strike committee and Hass MCCENTES After a selective strike by OYCI eighty failed to shift the council, for an all-out strike.
Paga 8 subsequently confirmed in a secret ballot by three to The City Council, W10Se committee and functioning have been eftectively blocked bv the action despite artempts to use outside agencies now being run by an eight person Emergency Councillors are refusing to co-operare NALGO members are boycotting all its decisions. Cuts Liberal leader Trevor Jones clearly this struggle as a way to defear local authority unions and impose cuts. But despite help from the Liverpool Echo. which blames the typists for everything from unemployment to the Tox uprisings, he has Taried CE CLA the typists' determination. Official Jones has also failed to split the council manual workers whose pay has been stopped by the action.
Last week, members of the Joint Shop Stewards Committee occupied council premises demanding a meeting with Jones A meeting ot over hundred stewards voted to take action unless Jones agreed to ensure their pay and start serious negotiations over the typists" claim.
The Liverpool strike, which is official, is receivFrom the NATO leaper! lukewarm support ship. They are doing little to publicise or spread the action to other areas.
Nationally, the Typists Charter Group is trying to spread the action. meeting in Livernoo on August heard reports from Manchester Birmingham, where action has also started, and about Cans being made as lar apart Northumbria, south Kent and Southend, so Miss and collections cor Messages support. be sent to: Liverpool Typists c/o NALGO Duchy Chambers, 24 Sir Thomas Liverpool 051-236 7944 or 051-227 1521) Details i Parting Rod tre Typists Charter Paulin ол 01-985 3086 or 01-986 3260 X 4.191