prove wages for railworkers received a sharp setback at last week's annual conference of the National Union of Railwaymen.
The 11-11 split in the NUR executive over support for the Healey pay policy was turned into a 2-1 vote in favour at the conference. At the same time Sid Weighell, NUR General Secretary, was able to duck out of having to organise any serious fight against the cuts and resulting redundancies in British Rail. by the NUR. This has given extra weight to Weighell in attacking ASLEF as the main enemy, particularly as ASLEF's attempts to maintain the differentials are currently holding up the payment of the present award to NUR and TSSA (staff) WOLKCES hostility to avoid taking up any fight against the cuts and the Govwill mean more redundancies for Eastern Region drivers were planning and taking action against the cuts, Weighell denounced them as opinion and perhaps Government reaction'. Rather than fighting redWeighell also uses this inter-union ernment's recent Green Paper, which railworkers. When the Southern and likely to bring about adverse public and fare increases.
National Planning Transport Authority with real powers -in short, anything rather than the real measures necessary as a first step towards transport planning. The first measure which would have to be taken even to begin such planning is the nationalisation of all transport.
WIN SUPPORT The NUR fears that this might alienate the respectable public opinion after which it chases. But a work ing class solution is not just the only solution which can save jobs and begin to plan transport-it can also present the best measures for winning the support of the rail consumers who will be hardest hit by cuts The plan for fighting the cuts which was needed from this NUR conference would have included no implementation of fare increases, a snorter working week with no los: of pay to defend jobs, and nationalisation of all transport services. In stead of this the NUR leadership offered a 'do nothing' campaign in the backrooms of Parliament, avoiding any fight and increasing the divisions amongst rail workers.
Even the one positive step taken by the conference-an increase in the political levy to enable the union to sponsor more MPs opposed to rail cuts-will lead to nothing. As Weighell was quick to point out to the capitalist press, he wouldn't dream of telling these MPs that they will have to vote against rail cuts in Parliament or else lose NUR support. Rich Palser