GREEMENT was reached last week on the basis of amalgamation between the 1Im.-strong Amalgamated Engineering Union and the Amalgamated Union of Foundry Workers, which has 70,000 members. Executive representatives of both unions, approved a plan which would, in effect, mean the creation of a new engineering union based on separate trade groups. The next stage will be to draw up a new list of rules acceptable to the two unions and then to hold ballots of the joint membership. A change in the title of the AEU is envisaged to give it a wider industrial appeal than it has at present. In 1963, the AEU offered to change its
name to the Amalgamated Engineering.and Foundry Workers’ Union in ‘a bid to attract other unions with foundry members into a new organisation. The Manchester-based Foundry Workers’ Union, which has a strong Left-wing tradition, agreed to set up a joint committee to investgate the proposal, but other smaller craft unions refused to participate. Mr. David Lambert, general secretary of the Foundry Workers, will now approach these unions in an attempt to secure their support for an extended merger to bring most of the engineering and shipbuilding industry’s 150,000 foundrymen within one union.
Ambulance men join N.U.P.E. ERGER proposals have been agreed between the executives of the National Union of Public Employees and the National Ambulance Services Association. Mr. Frank Journeaux, general secretary of the 4,000-strong NASA, will join the staff of NUPE as its Ambulance Service Officer. The merger will come into force on July 1.
A joint statement said that developments now taking place in the formulation of a national incomes policy made the need for all sections of public employees to articulate a common policy “of critical importance.” NUPE is confident of reaching its 250,000 membership target in time for announcement at its annual conference in May.
Labour College
News
from ‘PLEBS’
OUNCILLOR E. F. Dovoy of
169 Cromer Street, Grim-
thorpe, near Barnsley, is the Secre-
tary of the Barnsley College which
will continue to lead an independent
life, like Hull and other old
N.C.L.C. Colleges.
Barnsley College is holding a Con-
ference at the beginning of January
and expects to remain independent.
The Independent Fife Labour Col-
lege held a school on “Co-operative
Aduit Education” in the Co-operative
Educational Hall, Natal Place,
Cowdenbeath, on Saturday, 16th
January. The Fife Secretary is R.
Plunkett, Chairman, 54 Sinclair
Drive, Cowdenbeath.
PLEBS understands that the
Rhondda College is likely to main-
‘tain an independent existence. Par-
ticulars can be had from D. Knight,
Secretary, 10 Inverleith Terrace,
Llwynypia, Rhondda, Glam.
Belfast College, one of the
N.C.L.C.’s most active Colleges in
the past, is another likely to remain
in existence as an independent unit.
A new Secretary is being appointed.
Bristol Bus Strike
from a Bristol Correspondent
RISTOL’S bus services were
brought to a halt on February
16th by a one-day unofficial strike.
The lightning strike took place be-
cause of dissatisfaction with the pay
offer of 8/6 a week increase to pro-
vincial busmen. Municipal busmen
are getting 15/- and the Bristol bus-
men feel they should be on the same
footing even though the bus service is
not run by the Council.
The men are in a militant mood
and further strikes are expected,
especially as this was 100%
despite the efforts by local officials of
the TGWU to keep the men at work.
Tempers flared at the mass meeting
which took the decision and two re-
porters, who had been waiting outside
for the result of the meeting, were
smuggled out of the union building
by the fire escape.
Feb. 25, 1965 — THE WEEK