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3. CHINA'S PREPARATIONS FOR WAR, BUT WITH LESS STRESS ON ITS
IMMINENCE, CONTINUE TO BE A MAJOR TOPIC FOR DISCUSSION AT COMMUNIST MEETINGS (PARAGRAPH 2 OF TELEGRAM 874). REPRESENTATIVES WHO RETURNED RECENTLY FROM MAINLAND STUDY VISITS HAVE MENTIONED
RUSSIAN PREPARATIONS FOR AN ATTACK ON CHINA CLAIMING THAT THE CURRENT SINO/SOVIET BORDER TALKS ARE A RUSSIAN QUOTE SMOKE SCREEN
UNQUOTE.
SIX COMMUNIST UNIONS HAVE SUCCESSFULLY NEGOTIATED PAY INCREASES AND SEVEN OTHER DEMANDS ARE IN VARIOUS STAGES OF SUBMISSION TO
EMPLOYERS. ONE COMMUNIST UNION, STRONGLY REPRESENTED IN THE METAL INDUSTRY, IS INCITING MEMBERS IN CONCERNS WHICH HAVE FAILED TO MEET THE INCREASED WAGE DEMANDS, TO LEAVE THEIR EMPLOYMENT
AND HAS OFFERED SUBSIDIES UP TO 70 PER CENT OF WAGES
UNTIL ALTERNATIVE EMPLOYMENT IS FOUND. ALTHOUGH THIS WOULD
SEVERAL
AFFECT ONLY A FEW WORKERS IN SMALL CONCERNS THIS MOVE IS INDICATIVE
OF RETURNING CONFIDENCE IN COMMUNIST ORGANISED LABOUR.
RIGHT-WING UNIONS, CONCERNED AT THE COMMUNIST INITIATIVE, ARE
NOW SUBMITTING SIMILAR DEMANDS.
5
TWO MORE COMMUNIST UNIONS, WHICH WERE SERIOUSLY AFFECTED
BY DISMISSALS FOLLOWING THE 1967 QUOTE GENERAL STRIKE UNQUOTE
ARE AMENDING THEIR CONSTITUTIONS TO PERMIT RECRUITMENT FROM
A WIDER FIELD. THE UNION WHICH CATERS FOR LOCAL CEMENT FACTORY
WORKERS HAS INFORMED THE REGISTRAR OF TRADE UNIONS THAT ITS
CURRENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS, WHO ARE ALL INELIGIBLE TO HOLD OFFICE,, WILL SERVE FOR ANOTHER YEAR. THIS PROPOSAL TO DEFY THE LAW IS
IN CONTRADICTION TO THE POLICY FOLLOWED BY OTHER UNIONS WHO HAVE
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