THE STRIKE by 560 electricians at the Port Talbot steel works, now in its fifth week, is steadily winning labour movement support.
The strike is strong despite the refusal of their union, the EETPU, lo support them. Even the demand of the TUC Steel Committee to call off the sirike has not shaken the resolve of the Port Falhot workers.
The electricians, who are demandine a wage increase to take accouct of new skill have been sold that their demands canner be mcomes policy wbich limils pay Wyn Bevan, Chairperson of the rike communice and convenor st Port Talbot, explained the devclopments in the strike ar a NUT conference fringe meeting last week, organised by the Socialist Teachers Alliance.
'Our union Is run by a rightwing executive who are firmly in rapport of she and they have told us quite clearly that we are getting no support or Mnke pay for our cisim.
He explained that after a mass meeting of the strikers where the instruction by the FETPU exocotive to return to work was rejecied by 400 voles to 60 voles, the loca EEPTU afficini went on the loca television so denounce the strikers.
The eleciticians mais meeting then replied to a vote of EETPU leadership replied by call ine off the manual conterence a steel sewards that was dur to at strikers approaching other stee strikers responded by calling thei The ISTC, the main seeladded is weight in trying to break the starke to sename docer to al -is branches in Part Talbot askicg (scars or the grounds that it Contract Wyn Bevan sed the suiters are лочена very clear on ha: l 'Our stragele is just, not for elinsin, but for the working clas is a whole. They asked for 'If we do not succeed in geiling a heller deal for our electricions. In breuking the Social Contract, then it will mir be done right throughout the labour movement'.
The eleciricises are 3i50 vers conscious of the need for wily of all those taking action 92ams! alcacks oo living standards.
The electricians have already called a public meeting to be held in Port Talbot dext Monday, it which they have invited speakers from Heatbrow and British Leyland toolmakers to speak their straggle will be a major blow WAIT PIC STOLS CENT of ighing Phase 3 of incomics unionisis lowarde iheir landars, only 2 or 3 delacoles offend an alternative policies apart from the cura-all' of frao collective Bad the Natfonal LCDTU Conferenes in London, peaker was Bob Wright, the CP-baoked left candidate in th Leyland. Heathrow and Port Talbot, Wright did no more than warn ols sevented police He mersed delegates to Circe adventurist policies.
Labour to carry out the policies on which it was alected:
strikino nosinst these policies or Labour controle is to support those fighting Phase 2 Shiy more pend be said that a sorted not have to war the main He advised dalegates to and no convenor at Courtauld'e 4.000 ranspon workers vote overwhelming locrush another airway b
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LODTU organises locally