from an industrial correspondent
A national steel strike? On March 4th, the British Steel Corporation was given just over two weeks to reply to a claim for substantial increases for 15,000 craftsmen in the industry. Union leaders predicted that an umacceptable answer could lead to a national strike. The claim was first made nearly two-and-a-half years ago with the Iron and Steel Trades Employers' Association. Last month the association finally rejected the claim because it fell outside the incomes policy. The 12 unions invcived then went to the B.S.C., which does not officially take over from I.S.T.A.A. until that organisation winds itself up, probably later this week. James Jarvie, a representative of the boilermakers union and chairmam of the unions! national committee said after the meeting with the employers: "The reply from the B.S.C. will have to be within the next two weeks because om March 21 there will be a conference of craftsmen to decide what action cam be taken if there is no satisfactory arrangements made by then," The unions are seeking a substantial imcrease in the basic rate which is 6s Tea an hour including a cost of living allowance. The rate was introduced in November, 1963. It is surprising that the men have been so patient in view of the huge increase in the cost of living since then, Ford draughtsmen ban overtime at Dagenham.. About 150 draughtsmen in Ford's engine and foundry departments at Dagenham have banned overtime in protest against the dismissal of nine of their colleagues. The nine are among 500 of the company's 15,000 white-collar workers who are being dismissed in March as part of a campaign to cut costs in non-productive departments. Mr. John Tuckfield, divisional organiser of the Draughtsméen and Allied Technicians, said in s stekenent on March 5 that it was clear that the company expected DATA members to take over the work of the men sacked or to transfer the work out of Fords to contract offices. The union was totally opposed to this. Mr. Tuckfielid added that the union would be meeting the management on Monday, March 11, to see if it was possible for the nine men to be: .*° redeployed and to find out what the company's future policy would be on having tool design work undertaken by outside companies rather than its own staff. He pointed out that in future the design of engines, gearboxes and axles would be the responsibility of Ford of Germany "and our members want to know how this decision will affect their own employment." A company spokesman commented: “We are an international company and the best resourcesof both organisations have been and will be used to meet our future requirements. But there is no question of transferring the whole of our design activities to Germany. The major part of this work will, as always, remain in Britain," Trade unionists at Fords, Dagenham, are not impressed by this assurance; recent experience has shown that in the mad rush to cut costs workers are the last people to be taken into consideration.