Wales Follow

THE FRICTION Dynamics workers and their supporters marched through the North Wales town of Caernarfon last Saturday. The 87 workers, members of the TGWU union, were sacked over a year ago during an official strike. Friction Dynamics' owner, boss Craig Smith, used New Labour's anti-union laws to sack the workers.

SATURDAY SAW dozens of people meet to collect signatures for an open letter against racist attacks on Llanelli mosque (full story on page 2). Mohammed Ashraf collapsed and died within minutes of the attack. The petitioners included Quakers, the Welsh Socialist Alliance and the Anti Nazi League, among others.

SACKED WORKERS at the Friction Dynamics firm in North Wales are calling on all trade unionists to support their demonstration planned for this Saturday, 8 June. The workers were sacked during an official strike over a year ago.

LECTURERS HAVE voted to walk out of further education (FE) colleges across England and Wales on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. The vote was two to one for strikes in a ballot with a 44 percent turnout. The lecturers, who are members of the Natfhe union, are incensed at the 1.5 percent pay rise being offered by their employers, the Association of Colleges. It is below the level of inflation and amounts to a pay cut.

THERE IS a major debate inside the three main teachers' unions in England and Wales about merger. Leaders of the NUT, NASUWT and ATL unions are looking to merge. There is a parallel process of an increasing desire for unity among rank and file teachers.

Sacking follows unofficial strike BOSSES AT the Airbus plant in Flintshire, North Wales, have sacked a worker who was at the forefront of leading an unofficial dispute at the plant last month. Up to 2,000 workers staged an unofficial strike on 14 March in protest at huge payouts to bosses while workers' pay was being cut.

TEACHERS IN England and Wales are on course for a major conflict with the government. Their three TUC-affiliated unions, the NUT, NASUWT and ATL, all passed a joint resolution at their Easter conferences pushing for a 35-hour week and drastic cuts in workload.

Delegates at the conference of the most moderate TUC-affiliated teachers' union last week joined calls for action against the government. The Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) is the third largest teachers' union in England and Wales.

More than 1,500 workers at the Airbus plant in Flintshire, North Wales, walked out of work unofficially on Thursday of last week. Hundreds of staff walked out at lunchtime. They were then followed by the entire afternoon shift and the majority of the evening shift. They were protesting against pay bonuses for managers while workers' pay is being cut.

The Welsh Socialist Alliance (WSA) continues an energetic campaign in Ogmore, where a by-election takes place on Thursday of next week.

Revelations that an official in the Trades Union Congress has been trying to stop the election of left wing candidates in union elections are fuelling anger among trade unionists. Socialist Worker reported two weeks ago on smears against Bob Crow, the left wing candidate for general secretary of the RMT rail union. A meeting of the union's west of England and South Wales region took place in Bristol, also two weeks ago.

The Welsh Socialist Alliance (WSA) is campaigning hard in the Ogmore by-election in South Wales. The contest follows the death of Labour MP Sir Ray Powell. Voting takes place on 14 February. WSA candidate Jeff Hurford is well known locally for his involvement in campaigns such as those against the poll tax, racism and the bombing of Afghanistan.