Industrial Notes.

from David Robinson, Draughtsmen Beat Wage Freeze, More than 350 draughtsmen working for Pressed Steel are to receive a 6 per cent wage increase, back-dated to August 1, in spite of repeated efforts by the Ministry of Labour to stop them. A company spokesman stated last week,"We have no alternative if we are to avoid holding up the new models planned not only by B.M.C. but by other companies for next year. The vnion has warned us that the draughtsmen will resume the policy of 'working without enthusiasm! if the agreement is not put into operation." This policy wes carried out by the union for four months during the summer after their claim had been through the procedure for settling disputes and a failure to agree had been registered in April. Mr, Gunter has said that he will approve no increases for draughtsmen higher than those offered by the engineering employers nationally in September, increases which the draughtsmen have rejected even before the Prices and Incomes report on their pay, expected at the end of November. Bank Clerks to Take Strike Action. The increasing militancy in the National Union of Bank Employees will take the form of a two-day strike on Friday and Saturday, November 24 and 25, of their members in Wales, Over 250 bank officers will be affected, and some towns may have no banks open at all on these two days. The Committee of London Clearing Banks has been given notice that unless they agree to full national recog~ nition and negotiating rights the stoppage will go ahead as planned, Two-day strikes in other parts of the country may follow this action, As soon as recognition is granted by the clearing banks, the union will put forward a substantial pay claim and press for equal pay and opportunity for women bank clerks. Since October 1 the union has gained 10,000 members and the demand for strike action has developed as a spontaneous grass roots movement among bank clerks utterly frustrated by the present situation. Railmen Wage Claim Rejected, The Railways Board has declared that only about 1,000 men out of 330,000 covered by a wage claim, are eligible for anything at all under the Government's wages policy. The N.U.R. executive is meeting this week to consider their next action. The board has declared that increases can only be paid where the men are prepared to accept new "productivity schemes", However, over recent years the men have given a great deal to the Railways Board in the way of accepting new working arrangements and very little of this has been paid for with increased wages. Many branches of the N.U.R. want the wage claim pressed home against the board's policy which is that it should be dropped and the results of the new grading scheme awaited, Talks on this scheme have already been dragging on for many months and it could be well into next year before practical proposals are put forward,