1. ROY MORGAN. EEPTU Convenor, Whiteheads Works. Newport.
Q. How did Whiteheads workers respond to the attempted cuts in weekend working?
A. BSC said we wouldn't get paid for Sundav. All the lads turned up for work Production workers and craftsmen, we were solid - one nundred per cent. we had discussions on the cuts and that sort of thing, as there was no work.
O. What about the union leadership's attitude to the cuts?
A. They are generals up at the top. They forget that they are supposed to represent our interests. Instead they represent the interests or wilson and tne capitalists They act as reterees wnose Joo is to get BSC off the hook.
0. Could you be a bit more specific? A. On Sunday all the lads, and I'm not talking only of the stewards now, felt that there had to be national action. The National Cratismen s Coordinating com mittee hasn't said a word. It could have called for a national conference as a springboard to action, bringing the executive to account. Also there is no disuncleadersnio with Hontne Doncies.
Q. Why is a national response necessary?
A. because its ine only way to comodt boes divide-ano-rule tactics. nev al ways play off one plant against another, one group of workers against each other One week it's Ebbw Vale for the chop, then Shotton, threats to Port Talbot, ano so it goes on A real leadership would offer a national response. The TUC and the Trade Union Steel Committee should be recalled. The oroblem is that the leadership is tied to the social contract and the Labou Q. What policies have these leaders put forward; and what is the Government trying to do?
A. The Government wants increased productivity from a massively reduced workforce. Hence the massive redundancies. The IST leadership offer voluntary redundancies and the policing of the BSC S strategy.
m completery opposea to voluntary redundancies. It's a job gone and it splits the workers. They divide ine stronger plants like Lianwern from the weaker plants uke vuntenedos.
Q. What do you think of the policy put forward in the Morning Star by A. They argue that BSC can be made 'profitable'. This is claptrap. can see that East Moors (Cardiff) is old and 'unprofitable'. The real question is defence of iobs, not doing the capitalists job for them.
O. What do you think of the demand for work-sharing with no loss of pay?
A. This has been tried by the union leadership • but their version was work-sharing with pay cuts. Work-sharing yes, but with no loss of pay. to a shorter working week - have you? Any Tign back is a right back against viison and nis policies.
2. NOEL DAVIES, T&GWU crane driver, Ebbw Vale. Q. What happened last Sunday (4 January) over the cuts in weekend A. The management tried to send the lads home. But they staged a sit-in. We stand to lose E20 if weekend working goes. tune guaranteed working weet goes we will be on short time. Q. Were there any mass meetings on the Sunday?
The rank and file are always in the dark. There should be mass meetings of all People snould be invoived, ornerwise they get fed up.
Q. What do you think of the BSC proposals?
Ebbw Vale. Redundancies are the main Q. How will this affect Ebbw? A. Well, it's the bottom end which will •Anvone go. The tinplate will stay. in the not mill they're already working week on, week off.
leadership's role?
A. As soon as the lads at Port Talbot came out, Sirs should have called a national strike. There should have been a national conference of shop stewards to work out action in detail. But the union leadership won't do this. They are •Eve no opposition tied to the Government.
That's the problem.
the TUC should be recalled.
Q. What do you think of Michael Foot's attitude?
A. Foot is carrying out redundancies ced to go. cies is a fight against Foot.