the value of BP shares. AN EXTENDED MEETING of the policies Oil Rigs Liaison Committee (ORLC) involving shop stewards from as muny rig construction sites as pos sible, was taking place in Glusgow on Wednesday to discuss action against the growing redundancies in the industry, which have been caused by cutbacks in oil rig orders.
*Or 23 production platforins on order, L1 are being built, or will be, outside the UK-sic in Norway, four in France, and one in Holland reported the Scotsmian on 6 January Moreover a 50% cutbuck in arders threatens the 12 contracts still remaining in Brilain. All this goes to indicate that a large amount of the cil development industry is currently being transferred out of the UK.
This must be seen in the light of the Labour Government's pledpe to buy 51% ownership of the oil industry and impose high taxation on the landing of the oil. Since the expected revenue from oul plays such a major part in Labours plans for overcoming the belance-of-pay ments problem the ail companies strategy is to sow down the developnient of the UK Gelds until Labour is intimidated into going back on its pledges.
The Labour Gorerncient bas already partialiy capitulated to the oi companies with its announcement last woek that it will take no profits from any companics in which it pains 51% ownership. One tesult has been a massive increase in The oil companics succcas is also a result of the British Government's need to use British oil as a guarantee for heavy botrowing from the European banks. If the rate of development is cut back, these banks can be relied upen to put swift pressure on the Government to change its The ORL.C is an unofficial shop The committee sees its role, not as a focus for the independent activity of the construction worken, but as a 'pinger group' to put pressure on the union bureaucracy and the Labour Governneat. This is shows by is lack af it long terin strategy to protect and improve the construction workers" living standards. By simply protesting ar the redendancies, I finds itself actuuily being supported by the ail monopolies-as another means to pressure the Labour Government to maintain low taxation rates on the oll extracted 'GINGER GROUP' stewards body tormed nine months ago. It represents all the major unions in all the Scottish oil construction yards. This committce is a major step forward in the organisation of rig construction workers in Scotland, and to have built this organisation in such a short time is a major achievement. However there are serious deficiencies in its present strategs Finally, although the committer realises that the work is being transterred out of the 1.K, it does not see the need to link up with ather Buropean workers in a collectice fight to protect their jals. The committee has made no calls for this work lo be blacked by European yards Only a strategy which inchides tbe demand on the Labour Government to nationalise the whole oil industry under workers control in an integrated energy plan produced and caforced by the workers, could effectively fight redundancies and lay the hasis for an industry structured to meet the needs of the working claas and not those of the ol compaltes, Edinburgh IMG