Federation. for a wage increase.
Observant readers will have noticed that the last £6 of the £10 package is to be concluded only after the introduction of the £6 limit. Accordingly the TUC has now notified the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers (the main union in the (SEU) that the £6 limit must be observed, and that it is tough luck if 300,000 AUEW members only receive a £10 increase over a period of two years (1975 and 1976)-they are not entitled under the new-style Social Contract to have another pay rise in April 1976 as BETRAYAL This latest act of betrayal by the TUC completely exposes the hypocrisy of those TUC leaders who claim the 16 limit exists to help the low-paid. If the TUC get their way over this matter, it will be precisely the lowpaid in the engineering industry who will suffer.
The better organised plants, who are already well above the national minimum rate, will no doubt receive something in the region of £6 in the next round of annual wage negotiations at a domestic level-but for those who are not strong enough to win domestic claims, the TUC has said 'you will get nothing at all'.
roadside Theatre Group and discussion groups. FILM SHOW/DISCUSSION on fascism in Spain and CHARTIST public meeting: 'After Newham-Which Newham NE CLPI. Friday 31 Oct., 8 pr LONDON SOCIALIST FORUM: ' Lessons of 1968and the tasks of revolutionaries today. Tues 28 Oct., RUSSIAN REVOLUTION anniversary social. Frida | November. Rom-Dam at the West Indian Centri Manchester. Films/Groun/ Disco. Proceeds to Rec Weekly and LCI in Portugal. 40p admission.
HULL SOCIALIST FORUM: Portugal - What Next: Friday 31 Oct., 7.30pm at the White Hart, Alfred In March this year the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions-which embraces 19 unions organising around tiree million workers -concluded a three-stage pay settlement with the Engineering Employers The agreement was to increase national minimum rates in the engineering industry by £10. The first stage in April resulted in a f4 increase, with another f4 to follow in November and a further £2 in February 1976.
This will bring up the national minimum rate for skilled workers to f42 per week, and for unskilled £33. Although most factories supplement this rate with domestic negotiations, there are still around 20 per cent of CSEU members who depend almost entirely on the annual national negotiations This will mean a massive drop in living standards for those who are already feeling the pinch harder than anyone else. WAGE-SLASHING The CSEU-affiliated unions must reject these wage-slashing plans. The next AUEW national committee should prepare a major pay claim to protect the living standards of all engineers. That would mean an across-the-board claim for at least £15, coupled with the demand for a sliding scale of wages to defend any gains in living standards against the effects of inflation.
ACTION The AUEW has come out in words against the £6 limit, but now it must turn these words into action.
Opposition from the TUC and the Wilson Government, together with the witch-hunts of the right-wing press, can only be defeated if the opponents of the f6 limit unite and spell out a clear alternative to Wilson's Tory policies. A determined fight by the AUEW would rapidly draw in rank-and-file support from other unions-and it would do more than all the electioneering of the -WHATS ONSaid of the IMG's E15,000 Fund Drive. Be deafenRoom 3B), Malet Street, WO SCOTTISH NAC Conference Saturdav 25 Oct. from Sam— 5om at Queen Meroaret Union Glasnow Univer sity. Speakers include Dr Berry Beaumont (MPUASTMS), Dr Elizabeth Wilson (FPA Glasgowl, Angela McHugh (AUEW shop stewardi and invited Mr. Creche avalabie. socialin evening. For intormation and regis tration, contact weralaine smytn, 04 arant street, alasgow 041-33503107 BENGALI FRIENDS in Europe and elsewhere, for Bengali books and 'Srani-Dal-Biplab' (Fourth Internatoner papert contact: bengall, cro memonoraien Box 3274, 10365 Stockholm, Sweden NEWCASTLE IMG educational meetings, every Thur day at dom in the ardoe Hotel.
A WOMAN'S RIGHT To Choose/Free Abortion on for the right-wing union leaders.
the CSEU, Scanlon, Wright and the Communist Party seem reluctant (to say the least) to give such a lead.
Their idea of how to fight the right in the labour movement is limited almost entirely to the confines of TUC and Labour Party conferences.
It is precisely in this area that the -and-file virtually excluded.
stewards' meetings, and in local can be built. socialist revolution. members.
General Meeting versity of London Unio to:
* Organise a Scottish Centre be made payable to Broad Left to put paid to any support Unfortunately for the members of right-wing is strongest-and the rank SHOP FLOOR It is only by mobilising action on the shop floor, in union branches and Labour Parties, that a real alternative to the right-wing policies and leaders of the Labour Party and trade unions (AUEW) in the last yeal The International Marxist Group is an organisation dedicated to the overthrow of capitalism. It is engaged in permanent struggle against the ruling class, and its members devote their time, energy and resources to the The IMG fights consistently to draw together all working class struggles into a united movement against capitalism. Our comrades were tirelessly active in building the MCAPP Conference on 11-12 October, which was an important first step in building a nationally coordinated struggle against the cuts. IMG members also played a similar prominent role in the National Abortion Campaign Conference last weekend.
But the fight to develop and centralise these campaigns takes money and resources. We have no rich backers or sympathetic capitalists to finance us. All we have is the revolutionary internationalism and commitment of our If you support our aims, if you agree with our struggle, then you can help us to meet the needs of the internatio nal class struggle by donating money. We need £15,000 * Build a 16-page Red Weekly * Allocate more full-time workers to our campaigns * Increase and improve our publications By the end of October we need to raise £1,500. By the end of November we want £4,000. Help us to make sure we reach these targets by sending your donation now-as much as you can give.
All contributions should be sent to: IMG Fund Drive, 97 Caledonian Road, London N.1. Cheques/POs should 'The Week'.
october 1975 no1 300 neo -colonia New journal from IMG Africa Commis sion, price 30p + 8p pap from Red Books, 97 Caledonian Road, London $15,000
, red weekly 23 october 1975
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AFRICA IN STRUGGLE