Miners international alliances of need UNTONS energy workers. new ALL THE EVIDENCE is that the current clection for the NUM presidency will result in a massive victory for national gill re-clected, and hopefully more casily able to cope with the stalimist-soft left face major challengrs. Among the most important are the government's plans for eventual privatisation of the mines. along with the clectricity industry, and the increasing attempts to undermine the coal industry by imports of foreign The attack on the industry and the First, the government is backing the The three main suppliers presidem Arthur Scargill. But with Scar- bloc on the caccutive. the miners still miners through the importing of energy from abroad is taking two main forms. (CEGR) in importing cheap foreign coal in i substitute for buying direct from mine at An Tai Bo. These supplies of Board ing Australian coal); Carbocal (Golom- bian coal: and cho Durch firm SSM providing coal from the new Chinese: The second arm of the attack, is an will be Sheil Coal International (supply- cual will be provided at about 519 a ton - roughly half the cost of similar supplies from British Coal. Bringing in cheaper coal from countries with cither lower operating costs or a low-wage worklorce will aid the process of the cicencity industry switching Irat total -and hasten the closing down of so-called workers in Britain — the importing of link-up between Fritain and France is French contracted to provide evergy to via two cables capable of carrying 1000 megawatts of electrichy each: The cabiles are now fully commissioned and the side of the channel. So. theoretically, if for energy The theory is that this link up, the new it lo Now cither way depending on relative demand and supply on cither France- In fact, the supply will all be dectrichy from France. The dectricity "French connection", will allow electric- there is a deficit of electricity in France and a surplus in the British national grid, electrisity can be supplied to one-Way — from France to Britain In France there is an excess capacity of electricily supply, thanks to the intense programme of nuclear power station SOCIALIST OUTLOOK 05 Januory February 19B8 Contral Electricity Generating dependence on British Coal Britain 365 days a ycar. •uncconomic pits. British Goal exiremely energy:
Dama DoronAnte Sawyer: NUPE's profile leader Tom low movement fighting privarisation! only are they not fighting bur in As JAN TURNER reveals not actually organising to go into some cases local officials are UNIONS How is the trade union business themselves. • INPROVE LOCAL services" is the trade ses, bur no more so than the double think which has enabled to argur in recent months that cutting When the local government bill. now union movement's official strategy tor tighting privatsation in local govern- Labour councillons amund the cuuniry jobs is a means to saving local services. Unlikely? mcnt
The tender trap The policy is essocially the samc as im is committer scage, becomes law, it will make compelitive