THE Employment Act, which spearheads the Tories' attack on trade union rights, is now in force. Coupled with the new legislation picketing and the closed shop, which James Prior, Secretary, aims to get through in the autumn.
While the code introduces which will not ostensibly have the force of law, they will guide the courts when employers sue trades unionists.
GEOFFREY SHERIDAN reviews the proposed code.
Mr Prior introduced his code in the House of Commons at the beginning of last week with the remark: 'I believe it will make an important contribution to good industrial relations in this country' We should begin, therefore, by asking what Mr Prior means by 'good'? Trades unionists who have followed the pronouncements and enactments Thatcher's government will have little difficulty deciding for whom the code is intended to be good.
In fact Mr Prior's next sentence suggested the likely candidates. increasea protection provided to individual employees and employers against abuses of the closed shop and picketing.
Tv nals mo excuse is a draft code on Hallels.
valle clauses mercial contracts of Mrs 'It will reinforce and underline the eCuv ds DOWs wilch ine smooyment Act nas place or WOrK..
Dilce ine recognition winning a strike. It's odd, employ people at starvation wages by (formerly NAFF), - LU SIMIl ot nickes aine entrance 1o the TUC's own code of conduct in disputes. But realAny form of industrial action, if it is to have any impact on ine employers. involves the disruption of goods or services. I nal's tne way Inings are, and trying to exclude a long list of essentials just doesn't help Does Mr Prior not realise this!
Ine employment secrelary adas a turtner point about picketing in his code, and here we can be sure that nis personal experience has conviced him of its 'There is no immunity for interfering with comindiscriminate customers and suppliers or at associated employers of the employer in dispute.
probably lh vae c vul scale biскеuшz... inc miners, tor exampie, nave been most dicriminating picking off power stations, coke depots, and the like, and even Mr Prior would probably acknowledge that that kind of enterprise sends shivers down his spine.
As a director of United Biscuits at the time of the lorry drivers' strike, Mr Prior knows how awful it is to oe conrontea oy workers wno actualy want to His company took a Transport Union official to court for allowing thier premises to be picketed, and now Mr Prior wants to be sure that And so to the closed shop, which, as the Employment Secretary acknowledges, covers more than five million trades unionists. He makes no bones about it that's far too many workers. In fact none be more to his liking. Mr Prior summarised the ob "The code in the closed shop emphasises that existing closed shops should be operated tolerantly and Jlexibly with proper regard to the views of those who do not want to join a trade union and provision for and that new closed shops should only be set up if there is overwhelming support for them among those who would be affected.
so there you have it. It a co-worker doesn't minc accepting the higher pay negotiated by your union, but doesn't feel like joining it by your employer or by one of those nice articles Among the latter should be included the likes of Mr Ward of Grunwick, who are verv fond of low paid workers and are prepared to go to any length to COverAment IOOKS IOr IEs monetarism to an economist in the United States, it is perhaps not out of place to recall an episode in the mstory or tne labour movement in tat country.
It's the Homestead lockout of 1892, when the accucu to crust ue bower oltre unions It buit a barbed-wire fence three miles round the breakers, and brought in 300 armed guards. Then it onsms ed 1s wor orce ae oce voc vov rom ine government. carnegie won Of course, Mr Ward, Mr Michael Edwardes of BL, and other employers eager to diminish trade Inon nonis nave nor resorteo vero laues ke me But on the day Mr Prior revealed his draft picketing at never did forward.
SC: main problems facing engineerlig workers!
BOB WRIGHT: The impact of the acceleration of the decline of our industries is priority number UlIC.
AUEW, have to adopt a much nurter poncy closures and to the rundown of the workforce. adopt an alternative strategy on the future of our industrial base.
me, government, capitalism is failing to supply the necessary investment, the necessary revival and modernisation of our industries, and process generated over 40 years. We've seen large sectors of the engineering industry virtually wiped out.
everyone in they are, has the right to a job. We need an economy that ensures a reasonable standard of living for all. government intervention in industries which are running down; a new investment strategy based on nationalisation and government intervention in industries like the steel industry, and the machine tool industry. Union of Engineering Workers, What in your view are the resistance The unions, including the and fight of resistance We've got to whalevel June policies.
so vOL has been vee workers Our job is to ensure that Well, Britain, whoever tion; resistance.
We need massive investment and visaged more forcibly ment. say to a shop stewards commutee or a district committee Jacing closures and redundancies? We need a clear commitment and strategy to intervene and support nu nel cosures Take the steel industry. Many workers were prepared to stand . 011 the question But we've continually seer dade umot acoulescence m We must revive the demand for the right to work, and build up a massive campaign to force governmem lo change ls would advocate that Jacing Crosure should be occupying those plants to resist redundancy?
occupation is just method. But whatever the type of action, it's not a definite solumedEs need national policy solutions based on public control as enby the alternative strategy. We have to challenge the government's strategy much Any trade union leader can get up and condemn unemploy.
That's just like being op-