By R Brooks, NUR guard THE National Union ecutive has given British Rail a deadline of 7 June to begin the annual pay talks. National strike action is threatened if BRB fail to meet The Board has said that it will not discuss pay with any of the three until the drivers' union ASLEF agrees to flexible rostering, and the NUR to the 'one-man operation' trains on the St Pancras to Bedford line. It also wants Ine Nor to willialaw Is opposition to the closures of the railway workshops at Horwich, Shildon and the rundown of Swindon.
Ian Williams, NEC of Railwaymen's exbranch. grades conference had the that power CLO overturn the decisions of the NEC, and for that reason, and also lack of time, the executive decided against it.
Questions of union democracy and the lack of any consultation between the NEC and the branches and grades conferences were laker do urrougaoul the conference. Russell luck, assistalll general secretary in his address to conference said, 'No executive officer can ignore the decisions of this conference', but delegates drew attention to the fact that the Conference Liaison Committee which Tecommends une decisions to the NEC only met twice Dasl vedr Con ference passed resolutions year after year which were not acted on by the NEC. The train drivers' (above) has rejected McCarthy's proposals on flexible rostering.
opposed this union, tions.
ASLEF, led by Ray Buckton reaffirmation of the union's unanimously Their conference last week another confrontation with and worsening of staff condi. Tories.
This, together with commitment to the keep. ing the guaranteed eight-hour day, sets the stage for any the Rail Board and the