aps by a Brush ‘orker.
After the Kmas holidays workers at the Brush Slectric factory at Lough borough found the already inadequate heating facilities completely broken down. None of the toilets were working and there was ice in the shops where the workers handle metal all day. Some of the workshops were flooded and there were no washing facilities -— an important thing bocauss of the dirty nature of much of the work done.
Many of the workers decided to return home immediately because of these conditions, However, they wore persuaded by somo of the Shop Stewards to discuss the matter at shop mectings. Amonyz the arguments uszd by tho Shop Stewards was one that if more than 65% of the workers went home the whole works would have to close, thus men not effected by the bad conditions would have to lose time. This argumont was subsequently proved to be false.
At the mecotings many of the 'bosses men! claimed that it wasn't cold. Noting that all these men had overcoats and scarves on, I asked one of them, why if it isn't cold, why didn't he take one of his overcoats off. These types used many similar unrealistic arsunents but the majority of the workers romained adam ant and decided to go home.
Eventually more than 65% of the workers wont homo. I+ is noteworthy that the women workers among the first to walk out and generally were more militant and better organiswd. Tho management at first closed the gates to stop the work~ ers leaving but this caused such an uproar that they had to reopen them.
Most workers returned tho next day, Thursday, and were astounded by the changes. The management must have had men working all through the night to do all the work necessary. The workers found that all the hoaters had been repairod, new heaters fitted all plumbing repairs had been done. Indeod amony the things done were some which had been the subject of complaint for monthse i, meeting aftor moeting workers had brought up complajnts about inadequate wash— ing facilities, etc. and from the Shop Stewards they vot the stock answe the management have it in hand and will deal with it at the earliest possible occasion,
No doubt many of the workers will have noted the behaviour of the management and drawn tho necossary conclusions, Where months and months of talking brings no results, militant action has the management frightened into immediate action to mset the workers! demands.
As reported in No. 4 of tho Bulletin, the Y.0.N.D. has organised a eries of demonstrations throngh Midland tows. After startins at Loicester on the 27th of Decomper, the marchers arrived in Nottingham tho following day, the Thursday of the week after Kmas.
Unfortunately the local Y.C.N.D. branch had fallen down on arranyenents and apart from help given by the Regional Secreatty of the C.N.D. in the form of fixing their accomodation they wore left to their own devices until the evening. The Young Socialists had organised a most welcome social evening at a pub for the demonstrators, Tho lattor was successful some sighty to ono hundred people attending with a good sale of Young Guards.
During the day the domonstrators, numbering some 50 odd, gave out leaf lets and sold their papers in the main Nottingham strsets. Unfortunately the weather was extremely incloment. in application to hold a march through tho city contre was turned down by the Chiof Constable on the grounds of insufficient notice.
After spending the night at the new Frionds meotin, house, fourty of the domonstrators braved the cold and hgld a demonstration outside Raleigh Cycles factory from 7.15 onwards. The response was quite good.
Arising out of the oxpsrience of the above steps are to bo taken to reorganise the Y.C.N.D. in Nottingham, which has so far been the reserve of the Y.C.L. and some young Christians, none of whom put in any appearance on this occasione CORRECTION
In the report of the passing of a resolution against the eolour bar Immigration Bill by the Nottingham City Labour Party in issue No. 4, it was said that the resolution originated from the chair. We have since been informed that it arose from a similar resolution from North Nottingham Young Socialists.
On Boxing day an agroement was signed in Peking forming a joint shipping company based upon the participation of the Albanian and Chinese Governments. The move is part of a plan to increase economic co—cperation between the two countries and is lino's answer to Khrushchov's campaign against J.1lbania. The latest move of which was the breeking off of diplomatic relations between the U.S.S.it. and Albania, which was followed by all tho other 'Pooples Democracies! in Buropo. The drastic nature of this move is seen from the fact that not even at the height of the campaign against Jugo-Slavia, when the Tito was denounced as a fascist and an agent of impericlism, did diplomatic links between the Soviet bloc and Jugo-Slav become severed.
Keeping up the idceelogical offensive against modern revisionism (read Khrushchovism), the new year issuo of 'Red Flag', China's chief idoclogical magazine, saids
"To regard the issue of war and peace as the most important issue, and nati-imperialism and anticolonialism as secondary, is, in essen se, to blot out the great significance of the national liboration movement to tho safeguarding of world peace"