THE WGOEK AND THS RALEIGH ABU STRIKE
Wo have received the following letter from Mr, D.J. ‘Yilliamson, 1, Aber Terrace, Briar St.,Nottinghams
‘As a regular reader of the Week and also a production worker employed by Raleigh Industry, and at present laid off work because of the dispute between the ABU and the Raleigh management, I am deeply perturbed by the article written in the current edition of your magazine, ~ and wenould appreciate an anawer to the followings
(1) Were the full time officials or any representatives of tho other unions at Raleigh asked for their views before this article was published, if not, why not? ; Cons. L.P. with members on this solidarity committee?
(3) What are your views on this article taken from the local press Please note the writer of this letter. 2
I would also like your views on the clause in the National Insura=~ nce Act which debars workers from receiving unemployment benefit if they are in the same class of unemployment as another worker who is on strike. An example of this is, a labourer employed in my own department at Raleigh is barred from benefit simply because there is a labourer in another department who is a member of the ABU and is on strike.
Hoping for a reply from you,
Yours sincerelyeeces ED. NOTE: Our reportor was not claiming to speak officially for any of the unions, tt was merely presenting the situation as he saw it. The policy of The Week is to place itself at the disposal of the workers concerned in any such dispute such as this, so we are pleased to print Mr. ‘Jilliamson's letter on this matter, and invite comment from members of any of the unions at Raleighe Pat Jordan replies:
I will deal first of all with the strictly factual aspects of brother Williamson's letter.
(1) the answer to the first question is "no" and as the ‘iditorial Note explains the article did not claim to be. the official view of any union - morcovoer it is ny conecrn to promote unity of Raleigh workers.
(2) Mr. Williamson will have scen the subsequent issue of The Weck which lists some of the members of solidarity committees they include
and several officials of the Contral Nottm. L.P., this covers all four Nottm. L.P.Se
3) The main bone of contention of the cutting onclosed (a letter by the secretary of the Confed) is that politics shoudd be kept out of the Raleigh strike, This is an old, old argument. Perhaps the best socretary of the Confed. he has stated that he is opposed to the policy of the Confed. for the nationalisation of the engineering industry. That is taking his 'non—political' position to its logical conclusion,
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