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Tyneside-Syndicalist-3 *— NUNB As Contracts Strikers were entering their sixth month on strike for union recognition their union,N.U.T.G.W., were taking steps to sabotage the .:->:-:fl.-__-7 _ 1:}-I--.-;:§;Y_'_<,._-.;_._-:- _ '13.] _ ' :_E‘.-__.':;;%5:=;=;1:$$:I'-.--. ' I dispute on the grounds that a deal had ' I-I;I-; -am:-s==;-..-_-__z= - - \ -- rt-:4-:-'-' . - been agreed at A.C.A.S.(bosses organi- .t ' :-:: sation). The Formula for a return gave the company the right to lay off all workers on strike and impliment a staggered return over a three month period. Job security over the period could not be gauranteed and Union -20? Recognition, at the centre of they dispute, would not be given. It was obvious to strikers that militants would never be allowed to set foot in the Contracts Building under this deal. In this atmosphere all strikers held a union organised secret ballot on Friday 28th February on the question of retur- ing over the A.C.A.S. deal. Strikers re-affirmed their intention to fight for full recognition. The decision was too much for the Garment workers union. Ron Bales, area officer, contacted Alec Smith, General Secretary, immediately on hearing the result and was given the a gaurd must be kept up against actions go ahead to withdraw strike pay from detrimental to the strike by union Letters of support and donations should the strikers, something that had been bureaucrats and their supporters wheth- threatened for a long while. Bales was er in the Garment workers or any other be sent to; Contracts Strike Committee, c/o N.U.S. Building, booed out of the building with calls of unions. Support gained for the strikers Scab and strikers that had voted for a through the garment workers union must Coronation Street, return to work decided that due to the be defended, this support must not be South Sheilds, Tyne & Wear. union attitude they would not be going allowed to be whittled away because of back. the withdrawal of the union bureaucrats Tel: 4561428. Geoff Bowen, Divisional Officer, and More rank and file support must be Alec Smith are both shouting their given, both actively and financially to mouths off about the Contracts strike those on strike. Supporters must be as and they who have never been near a determined as the strikers to win this Contracts picket line, they who have dispute, we must come up with the CONT.ET\I_TS — A held meetings with A.C.A.S. and the support needed for victory with or Contracts Financial Director Michael without the union in question. Shen behind the backs of the strikers Union bureaucrats must not be allowed 1. CONTRACTS STRIKE. to sabotage this hard fought battle ov- and they who have attempted to subvert 2. WAPPING DISPUTE. the principled stand of workers for er basic rights. the right to have their trade union Your financial support is needed now 3. TEACHERS INTERVIEW. more so than before now that strike pay recognised by an employer. Who do 4. SUPPORT NEEDED. these people think they are! has been stopped. Support on the picket Strikers are adamant that they won't lines can be given from 7am onwards 5. MINERS. bewreturning to work without full each morning at the Contracts factory 6. HEALTH CUTS. recognition of Shop Stewards and the Commercial Road South Sheilds. union. Some strikers feel it would be Lets show the Garment workers officials 7. TYNE WEAR TRANSPORT. best to join another union while that the Rank and file of workers with 8. WHERE WE STAND. other feel it would be better if the their sheer determination can beat the N:U.T.G.W. seen sence and rejoined Contracts Ltd/French Connection and the strikers. Whatever way it goes gain the rights of workers. Z i —_ in l i — _4__ i EDITORIAL One of the building blocks of Mass solidarity is rapidly coming in frightened to death of coming up against syndicalist theory is that Murdochs use of the anti trade laws and there should be one union for for the sacked printers on Rupert Murdochs News International titles. the courts rank and file workers are each industry. The need for takeing action. This action needs to be this has never been more appa- Up and down the country workers are blacking Murdochs papers while others increased to a point where Wapping and rent than with the current Kinning Park no longer have available dispute at Newsjlnternational. picket distribution points. Pickets at Wapping and Kinning Park in water, electricity, telephones and a" This is a prime example of postal service. workers seeing their industrial Glasgow are supported by workers from i all industries aswell as unemployed and The dispute with Murdoch is also a muscle undermined by the chaos dispute over the courts and every of multi union plants. families of those sacked. The boycott of the Sun, Times, News of reactionary section of society. The Workers involved in this working class cannot afford to be dispute are begining to learn the World and Sunday Times must be stepped up. defeated this time round. this lesson......Bill Booroff, A . London Region Secretary N.G.A. Even though union leaders in Transport, BUILD RANK AND FILE ACTION TO BEAT states,"We must get closer communications and power industries are MUflXKH@NM)THE(IRRTS! A together and press on urgently , 8- ?=; =z~.. ,; '* “'::;'\._.§ .; :_ " "L “ ‘Ta 1- ' with the aim of one union for -==" - Ekl & ¢e:;:aa::2:w.>:-><.....;....-.... the industry'H Luis also holds true for work- ers in education with unions including National Union of Teachers, National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of . Women Teachers, Assistant Masters and Mistresses Associ- ation, Association of Head Teachers, Association Univers- ity Teachers, National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education etc etc. which makes affective opposition to the attack on the education system almost impossible. The are numerous other exampl- es that could be cited such as On Friday 21st February, Durham E.E.T.P.U. RANK AND FILE SUPPORT. Transport, Health, Engineering Area Mechanics held a social at Easington Miners Welfare Hall to Rank and Filers in the electricians and so on. 1 As Syndicalists we would argue raise money for the SOGAT print- are showing growing opposition to that the first step towards ers. their leadship over the Wapping this objective would be inter The social was attended by dispute. Over thirty local E.E.T.P.U. union Rank & File cooperation many trade unionists. Differant branches have passed resolutions with the ultimate aim of Unions and Support Groups, inc- condemning the action of the union industry wide unity. luding the Contracts strikers, leadership. The largest branch in Although this would be a first Newcastle Poly‘ Miners Support and Scotland with over 4,000 members, step, we would also argue that N.U.P.E. R.V.I. Workers were inv- Glasgow, have elledged a conspiracy the whole structure of unions ited . between Hammonds leadership and the should be changed. Full time At the end of the evening, News International. They have stated, trade union officials both at Mick Hunt, Secretary of Durham "The National Executive should not localennlnational level would Mechanics, handed over a cheque take our loyalty for granted" have no place in such a for £415 to Dave Biddel, Middle- E.E.T.P.U. rank and filers picketed re—organisation of the Labour sborough Area SOGAT official. their local union offices earlier in Movement. Full timers have Mick Hunt said: February to show their support for shown themselves to be totally "The printworkers gave us solidarity throughout our year- the printers and the contempt for devorced from the daily lives Hammonds leadership. of the normal workers on the long strike.We should show that we shop floor. can return that support. This is a. Ron Bales local N.U.T.G.W. fight in defence of the whole official, has shown strikers Trade Union movement." The Durham Area Miners support NEWS INTERNATIONAL Council of the Union. For at Contracts Ltd that himself action detrimental to the and his union bureaucracy have Groups went to London for the week- January 29, I986 members of London Press end lst and Znd of where they took Branch, and for undermining more in common with employers Mr E A Hammond, the conditions of Brother and than with the rank and file of part in the picket at Wapping and General Secretary, Sister Trade Unionists in our workers. attended the march to release the EETPU Industry. Further for not jailed miners and reinstate sacked heeding the advise given by The way forward is to ensure Dear Sir and Brother, the T.U.C. and for aiding and that all union organisation is men, on the Sunday. At the Branch Meeting abetting Mr Rupert Murdoch entirely controlled by the On the local scene, pickets of held on January 28, 1986, the and his News International in the TNT warehouse at Hetton-le-Hole following resolution was the possible loss of 5,000 jobs ordinary workforce on the shop unanimously agreed with to the NGA, SOGAT, AUEW, floor. and of W.H.Smith wholesalers are more than two hundred mem- EETPU. These actions are beginning to take place. bers in attendance and fol- against the principles fought lowing a lengthy discussion. for by the founder members of the Trade Union Movement News International Newspapers are MOTION: and the founders of our suffering extreme difficulties both This Branch calls for the im- Union. _ Yours tratcrnally in getting the papers printed and their mediate resignation of the General Secretary Eric Ham- Sean Geraghty The 'Syndicalist' is produced distribution.
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