[page 8]
Electrolux workers at Luton are still out on equal pay strike as we go to press. The factory employes 800 men and 600 women. Although they work side by side on the production lines doing the same work, there is an average difference in their wages of £15 a week!
Last autumn Electrolux conceded the first and alast equal pay increment in the form of a bonus. But the average male rate is £53 for a 40-hour week, while women receive only £38 for 37½ hours. Unlike recent cases such as occurred at Salford Electrical Instruments where men scabbed on the strike, the men at Electrolux have joined with the women. Their jobs could be threatened next year by management proposals.
The management has so far offered the women to accept on their own £4 with back pay in the hope that the workers' unity will be weakened. In addition, management proposes two new rates to replace the current male and female rate. However the rates of these two new grades would be lower than the present lowest male rate. This means that men doing the same jobs as women would actually get a cut in wages next year.
Electrolux is a Swedish-owned combine that controls or owns 130 factories producing domestic equip ment. As in all other. cases where there are multi-national companies, it is implinks in the fight against the bosses.
ion taken by British, German, and port of Kodak workers on strike in Belgium and Northern Ireland to do bride workers of the Standard Teleon strike; etc. ind such struggles.
is absolutely necessary for them to meet together during the strike, discussing how their special needs are not only mobilise support for such disputes but can also help open up such discussions ortant to try to develop international Many cases come to mind - the actAmerican workers in May 1971 in supVincennes, France; the more recentr refusal of workers in Portugal, Spain, any work normally done by East Kilphones and Cable factory which was In the wave of chauvinism which is surrounding the debate on the Common Market, it is these kinds of international links which must be established. not some political and economic union of the basis not to down-play the fight required in this country to build solidarity for the women and men at Electrolux. The Working Women's Charter campaign has shown in the past that it can use its links with the organised trade union movement to throw its weight beh And the Charter has an additional useful role to play: in order to help ensure that women do not get sold out when they are involved in disputes, it being met. The Charter Campaign can лома AND. ME TOGETHE AGAINS THE COMPA E LUX 1S. HAD CHEAP LABOUR TOO LONG