from a Nottingham Correspondent The new agreement signea between the E.7T.U. and the National Federated Electrical Association for the contracting electricians has provoked an immediate and universally hostile response. That this should be so, is not surprising. The agreement was first canvassed at the 1966 bi-annual Shop Stewards Conference, The delegates were informed that the union and employers were to set up a Joint Industrial Board for contracting and that one of the first jobs of the Board would be to institute a grading system. The majority of the workers would be on the approved level, whatever the book of rules to be issued might say, and only those without the necessary qualifications and with less than four years in the industry would be on the C grade. Delegates tried to get further information and to pass a resolution on the agreement but Brother Hammond, who was in the chair, refused to allow the delegates to vote, It is easy to understand the coyness of the E.T.U. E.C. when the new agreement is studied. The majority of men will be on Grade C and electricians mates will be downgraded to labourers. The mates are being asked to sign a contract for three years that will give them an increase of 4d. per hour!
Another and more dangerous strand runs through the agreement; that of the corporate state. Amongst the aims are: “increasing the profitability of the industry"; "the abolition of the age-old distrust between management and men" and after the soft-sell - "the rights of management to engage and dismiss employees are preserved"; the "eliminating of all unauthorised stoppages of work", Behind the threats lies the reality of the disciplinary clauses of the agreement. Infringement of the rules, e.g. an unofficial stoppage, will subject the men to forfeiture of welfare benefits, suspension of membership of the Joint Board for three months, a fine of £100 and even expulsion from the J.I.B. The last means that the man would no longer be able to get a job in the contracting industry. The response of the men has been immediate. Nearly 200 delegates went to Hayes to see the E.T.U. EC. No satisfaction was gained, but it was decided to call a national conference in Coventry on October the 19th. In the Hast Midlands, men have refused to sign the contract and instead have called for a scrapping of all gradings and 1/- an hour rise. In itiverpool bonfires have been made of the contracts. The agreement has to be rejected, The ETU members involved realise that not only has this to be done, but the E.C, that made that agreement has to be rejected as well.