APPRENTICNS CALL MATTONAL STRIKE from an A.E.U. correspondent
On September 27th a meeting was held in Manchester which was attended by delegates, representing apprentices and jimior workers’ committees, from many parts of the country, They caue together to form the nucleus of the Apprentices! National Committees. At this meeting = resolution calling for a national strike in support of the Apprentices' Youth Charter was passed unsnimousiy. ‘his resolution was sponsored by delegates from a number of divisions: Manchester, Heading, London, Portsmouth, etc. There were some twenty letters from junior workers’ and apprentices! committees pledging support for strike action should it be called, also a lergs number of letters from big factory JWCs - for example, AFI, Churchill Machine Tools, EMV, Frances Shaws, ICT, etc., etc. These and many more pledge their support for strike action. On these grounds the date was set for a national apprentices! and jumior workers! strike on November 2nd, 1964.
The charter is the official ART Apprentice Youth Charter, and its demands include:
(1) the following percentages of the skilled man's rate (£10.11.8d) to be paid te all apprentices: at 15 years, 6; at 16 years. 6540; at 17, 70%; at 18, 75%; at 19, 80% and at 20, 90%. At present the rate paid varios from 22.5% plus 9/4d at 15, to 62.5% plus 28% at 20;
2) a 35-hour working week;