On Friday, & November at Standard Telephone & Cables Ltd, New Southgate, London, the workers came out on strike for a substantial claim, which includes the extension of thresholds, the abolition of special women's grades and total equai pay for women.
When the joint shop stewards committee originally submitted the claim, the management offered £3! In response to this, the unions threatened a sit down until a new offer was made. Before the sil-down was due to begin, the management rapidly came up with a new ofler.
This new offer was dressed up to look good. E6.50 for semi-skilled and £5.50 for skilled, However, of course, the management had dane noblung on the pay and grading of the women, they had refused to continue thresholds, and provocatively, renaged on a previous agreement. to nav thresholds throughout was unanimousiy rejected, and the negotiating committee was mandated to ask the management for a better offer by the next morning. The management refused to budge, so the secue for the strike was set. The managerent had until Tuesday to come up with something better. If they didn't, or if they came up with something which was still inadequate, the workers at STC were to meet again to decide what to do next.
It might seem a foregone conclusion that having struck over the original offer, there would be further action if the management failed to meet the demands of the workers, However, at every stage, the majority of shop stewards have been reluctant to take any action whatsoever. They have only done so because to have done anything else would have discredited them in the eyes of the mass of stewards are waiting for a few more crumbs from the management in the hope that they can get away with selling out.
Historically, there has been something very rotten in the unions at STC. There has been a long tradition of racism at the factory, and the ETU has consciously been the organising focus for this rucism. Little wonder that the same shop stewards who a year ago tried to oppose the uperading of black wor kers, are today reluctant to fight against the oppression of women!
In spite of this right wing domination on the shop stewards committee militants have mapped out o course of action to initiate the claim and to take the steps already described.
It is vitally important that this struggle is supporled throughout the labour movement.
All messages of support to Dave Landau, Secretary of the Joint Shop