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Red Dusters in Revolt Union S Demand Low Wages for Too

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Red Dusters in Revolt Union S Demand Low Wages for Too Number 1. Price 2d. 15,May,1966 TO THE FINISH NUS OR NOT RED DUSTERS IN REVOLT Weekend work at Sea £7-18-0,flat of new entrants and as the young lads get older they leave for better The seamen's strike starts at mid­ rate increase £1-10-0, a total paid jobs on shore. night , Sunday . It is an official of £59-7-6 a month. strike called by the officials and A new entrant.such as a deck boy,in END OF THE TOW ROPE the executive ôf the National Union his first six month at sea only earns How has it come about that the of Seamen. Due to the antiquated £23 per month and the same applies National Union of Seamen is belated-, Mercantile Laws , seamen cannot strike to the tough job For lads in the ly calling for this "official" directly like other cectionsof engine room. stoppage. The union for many years workers,so to get round the law The last rise in 1965 was miserable. has been notoriously bureaucratic, they have to complete the period of Before the rise there was a basic even compared with the bureaucratic their contract and then refuse to 44 hour week. The Saturday afternoon character of most unions. Under the sign on for further voyages. Con­ and all Sunday was overtime. But for long leadership of Bro.Tom. Yates, sequently, it jhay take one or two those on day work,over time is at the union was practically a 'company weeks for the stoppage to build up. the discretion of officers. Thus union'. Rank and file activity It is likely that some 2,500 ships the increase in 1965 was only given finally forced the resignation of out of a total of 4,500 will be in return for an actual longer the general secretary - but a second affected,some 300 or so being ren­ working week. The demand of the sea­ line of union officials moved up into dered idle each week as they reach men expressed at this time was for position. home ports. Expressions of solid­ a basic 40 hour week - but in And in the process, took with them arity have come in from seamen's negotiations,the union officials prominent figures in the Seamen's uni on s all over the world. " in the interests of increased pro­ UNION S DEMAND Reform Movement - the first rank and ductivity" - conceded the increase file movement of recent years,who The rates of pay,long hours of work in •working hours,virtually cancell­ were then incorporated in the new and general, working conditions com­ ing out the pay offer and award. leadership. This caused .great bitterness to rank pare very unfavourably with other RED DUSTERS REVOLT Sections of workers. The union's and file seamen and should never However,this tactic failed to 3tem demands include a reduction in have been negotiated. the red dusters revolt. New movements working hours from 56 to 40 a week, Rates of pay and accommodation on developed,and since the 56 hour which in effect is a demand for board British ships are well below sell-out in February 1965,has 'been better rates of pay for overtime those given onU.S.,and Scandinavian growing apace. The new Seafarers* working,p&rticularly at weekends, ships. This,and the marked contrast liaison committee movement - 'which plus a 17 per cent pay rise. with the rates of pay and conditions was kicked of f in the Bristol channel LOW WAGES FOR TOO LONG enjoyed by the officers on board ports,- has been unceasing in its the great majority of cargo boats, Seamen's wages have been too low campaign both for a higher wage rate has rankled for many years. This and against the sell-out and for a for too long - the revolt is total. is This despite nominal increase of 8 class differential notorious. further cleaning up of the union. It per cent in 1960,12 per cent inl961, THE KICKBACK was the development of this new 4 per cent in 1962,6^ per cent in Another system which causes anger movement that worried the NUS offic- 1964 and 13 per cent in 1965. These are the rights given to officers,to ials and rather than see the un­ modest increases still, leave the sea­ log pay for any so-called misdemean official movement " take over" n men limping well behind the national ours,such as talking to passengers, national campaign of guerilla action-j , average. being late on watch keeping for it decided to behead this movement which a day's pay can be deducted by taking up the demands and making A fully qualified AB gets at basic and the day has still to be worked. the action demanded official. wage of £39-10-6d a month,certificate pay of £1, Full Efficiency Service Is it a wonder that the " call of LABOUR GOVERNMENT Pay of £5-10-0,Saturday afternoon the sea" is falling on deaf ears, 1 It is the consciousness of the ex- £)-19-6,Saturday morning £1-19-6, leading to a drop in the 'T U.< *• f::* THE MERCANTILE LAWS. istence of this 'alternative* rank EDITORIAL and file movement that worries the The real barrier to the formation Labour government. On the one hand, of a rank & file movement is the in accordance with their declared THE SEAMEN'S STRIKE. continued existence of the Mercantile aim of holding back demands for Any docker who still remembers the Laws,which the Captain of a ship higher wages and better working con­ situation on the docks in 1947 will can invoke in the event of strike ditions, so that capitalist profit- be watching the present state of actions at sea - under these laws taking can go on,Harold Wilson,the affairs with interest. The NUS have strike means mutiny. And the legal prime minister, and his minister of announced that their fight for better problems of any form of protest make Labour,Mr Ray Gunter,are backing pay will be fought to the finish. it impossible for the, seaman to act the shipowners paltry offer made on As we go to press it is difficult when the need arises. March 9 of 32/6d a month and 2d an to say whether the finish will come One thing should be made clear: hour overtime rates- No advance on in the form of a sell out or not. a workers* committee is not just an this. On the other hand they do not Wither without the union the strike instrument for reform - it is frowned want to undermine the control of should go on,and the promise of upon by the bosses,the government, the union by its present leadership. of solidarity from the dockers gives and also by anybody who is interested The Labour government is quite aware us reason to hope for some success. in climbing to power on the backs of the workers. The development of that in its term of office ahead - THE STOCK MODEL LIE- with the unions officially tied to the workers* committee leads to The worst and commonest libel which supporting the government's economic workers' control. Not the control is put about.concerning the seamen, plans to save British capitalism - it of an industry in which the State seems to be that the sole reason can expect the growth of an un­ owns the means of production (Nation­ for the dispute is money. But the official movement throughout all alisation),but inwhich the workers, conditions of work,end the resist­ services and industries. at all levels,directly organise and ance of the government,the ship­ control the affairs their industry, This first major movement of the owners, and their own union to more The bureaucrat sees the workers as seamen must be dealt with firmly if appropriate methods of union organ­ a factor in the economy.it is time the Labour government is to retain isation,are an integral part of that the worker saw that the only the confidence of the boss class, the seamen's case. justification for an economy's ex­ the shipowners,the stock exchange, istence is that it meets the needs the bankers at home and overseas. RANK & FILE. of the society. If the seamen were to win this The NUS has quite an outstanding struggle,then it will encourage record for selling out,and its pre­ In the present dispute the State 'other sections of the tradesunion paredness to lead the workers in sees the seamen as mere machine parts movement to step in with their this struggle is the result of their which are needed to implement their demands. To defeat the seamen's fear of the strength of the un­ programme,and if,by chance,the movement thus becomes an important official organisations among the leadership remain firm the armed part of the government's long-term rank & file of the union. But for forces will be brought in, The sea­ strategy. The struggle is not only the men,the only real hope lies in men will be given the same lesson against the shipowners,the union- the development of a strong rank & the Labour government of 1947 gave leaders who want to hold back the file movement which would enable the dockers namely,that the State struggle but also against the Labour them to control their conditions of relies on force and scabs,and its government which has the task of work. When the crunch comes the only political complexion makes no saving British capitalism from answer for the worker is direct difference to this.
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