AT THE start of the year strikers have hit back hard in their nine months long fight for jobs.
Friday, Jallual y. mounted mass picket and demonstration at their Manchester factory. They addressed by local Mr Cnaries Morris, wne told the strikers he had been with them on day one and would stay with them 'til the finish.
The mass picket was Caled i when strikers obtained a copy of a letter being circulated to miners in an effort to stop blacking of the Scotts motors.
Smear The letter, written by Alex Ferry, CSEU general secretary, and distributed Gormley claims the pickets tre not even ex-employees.
Mr J Gormley, National Union of Mineworkers, President, 222 Euston Road, London, NW 1 2BX.
Dear Brother Gormley, concerned.
Alex Ferry General Secretary Socialist Challenge Laurence Scott This view was first put about by employer Arthur Snipe, later to be backed up by Ken Cure, engineering union executive member, and is now being used as a smear in the miners' union.
But the message from the convenor Denis Barry was clear. 'Today's picket has produced 200 and odd strikers, we intend to stay until we get a satisfactory settiement.
Phil Penning, TASS
steward said, "This aren't going to walk away. OTOVES All we've got to walk awar to is the dole queue.' Picketing being organised on a round-theclock basis, and a call will be made for a mass picket, if any efforts are made to break the picket line.
Confederation of Shipbuilding & Engineering Unions Lawrence Scott and Electromotors, Manchester tatives of the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions when we asked for your union's support to bring pressure on the management of the above company arising from their decision to close the Manchester establishment. In actual fact we met you on Thursday, 25 June. Shortly following that meeting, and no doubt arising from your own and other pressures on the company a meeting was arranged with the Chairman of the company on the 12 July, 1981. At that meeting which was attended by National and Local representatives of all the unions concerned a formula was negotiated which was unanimously recommended for aclocal representatives. Unfortunately the terms of the formula ceptance by the trade union negotiating team, including the were rejected by the members in dispute and the CSEU subsequently considered their decision and instructed them to resume work on the basis of the formula which had been negotiated. This decision was supported by all of the unions Despite this instruction the dispute has continued and we have now reached a very serious situation where continued picketing and blacking of work is seriously jeopardising the jobs of our members employed at the company's other factories of Mining Supplies Ltd. The matter was again considered by our Executive Coun1981, when they decided to reaffirm their previous decisions that this dispute was terminated. During the discussion that took place it was reported that the majority of people involved in picketing and who are continuing this dispute in actual fact were not ex employees of the company but nevertheless they were receiving support from trade unionists in Manchester including members of various regions of your own union. We believe that this support is misguided and is also being given contrary to the feelings and decisions of the unions at national level and we would therefore once again be obliged if you could use your good offices to inform your members to cease blacking work from the factories of Mining Supplies Ltd.
Thanking you in anticipation.
14 January 1982 Charles Morris MP But the strikers are not leaving it at that. The fight outside une lactory Is to be escalated.
Denis Barry explains, dealing an unscrupulous employer, but you expect that, from the Snipes of this world.
'What we accalliol 7 December, 1981 cept is being treated in a worst state by our nationa Since dispute benefits were withdrawn in late Ju ly, the engineering union leaders have pulled every trick they could to undermine the strike.
The constitution of the AUEW has been ignored the employer has gone on. Ballot Recently, when picketers faced injunctions the Act, the union went so far to withdraw legal facilities.
Denis Barry believes, 'Laurence Scott isn't Isolated example we ve seen a pattern of this. I feel DCICK should have been defended by the Liaud unovclucil. but the AUEW assassBy Pamela Holmes 'CALLING ment policy, against the Tory policies.
to go on rising.
other sectors as David Blunkerl less work for one privale sector services.
Ilhan a sprint.
'We saw the same problem in relation to the Pansee strike The executive council and fulltime otticials are petrified of people fighting for their they IOUS wali an easy ride.
The strikers have inererore acciaca ley ve had enough of being push ed around by Boyd, Dutty and Cure.
campaign has been launched into the engineering union. calling for a ballot on the removal of the executive councii Under rule 14 of the AUEW constitution, if ten 260) 01 cent (approximately the branches calls for this, the general secretary must conduct a Over the last five months the strikers have won resolutions of SUDOUl from 1,060 branches of the union, so the target realisable.
A new strike bulletin has been produced and copies mailed to all 2,600 branches of the union as the first stage in this campaign.
Duffy, Boyd and Cure may want an easy ride, but the Scotts strikers Cal make it very rough for them.
It is high time these sell-out merchants were challenged in the union for the role they play Workers at Laurence Scoti have given a lead on this to al engineers which musi be followed.
Laurence Scott Strike Bulletin No 3 and committee, 20 Roundcroft.
gratefully accepted.
seniously mishantee Rule 14, paragraph five.' General Secretary.
Cheshire with donations. WEEK NU NEW issue with the case of the Scott strikers appeal for action by engineers against the AUEW council NOW OUT.
ORDER, 2p each plus postage, from LSE strike Cheshire.
All donations for the AUEW "ule 14' campaign Laurence Scott Strike Committee Protest resolution for AUEW branches 'THIS branch believes executive council has Laurence Scott dispute. As this is an issue of concern to all AUEW members the branch demands a ballot for removal of executive council in line with Rule 14, paragraph five states: 'The executive council, or any member thereof may be removed from office by a ballot of the membership of the union provided such a ballot is demanded by ter per cent or more or ine brancnes ana nol less lnar two thirds of the membership are in favour of such removal. The ballot should be conducted by the If your branch supports the protest resolution, make sure it is sent to the AUEW general office, 110 Peckham Rd, London SE15 and a copy is sent to the strike committee, 20 Roundcroft, Romiley;
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140.142 Walworth Road London SE17 1JW Tel. 01-703 2215/8
cil on 3 December, Yours fraternally,