SEAN again THE union about?
dock took empire. refusing Salit prietors autumn. even work hour's GERAGHTY, 1250-strong London press branch of the electrician's union, achieved fame last summer when his branch took a strong stand in support of the health workers' dispute. He hit the headlines recently when electricians Times group of newspapers stated an 11-day strike. CAROL TURNER talked to him about the dispute and the future of the union.
media presented the recent Times strike no case practices. the dispute really It goes back to when Murover The Times We have a locallynegotiated which covers everything all electrical requirements with provision for an annual review.
FRANK CHAPPLE Ine men seem to and I really couldn't care less what happens to them.
"I couldn't care less what happens next. As fare as I'm concerned The Times manage ment and my members deserve each All know about the dispute is what ve read in the press.
Management were update agreement because, in etfect, they wanted to impose a wage freeze. For th reason, they'd unilaterally withdrawn from the Newspaper ProAssociation negotiations the We've been fighting for the right to have our agreement reviewed and to -une freeze Management only refused to negotiate during the dispute, but their Fri Decembe ultimatum was a threatened lock-out.
SEAN GERAGHTY *My members Frank Chapple.
Jaruzelski treats the Poles.
Our settlement has broken their wage freeze • they've done a complete about-turn.
exactly did the settlement achieve?
We got what we wanted, though we had to make some compromises.
Our lads have agreed to on the disputed secretary of the The cooperation although one's been asked to work on the CUBICH! since they went back.
We've got our right to agreement which will be finalised by 1 July will be consolidated And We've saved four elec tricians jobs which were threat And The Times group have agreed enjoy being out on strike other.
to take part in the nationa. NPA These are all real gains from the Throughout the dispute, series Cordis made a series paraging statements. now do you feel about this public role?
We've never had the su ort of Chapple and executive. All our gains on jobs, wages, and condi tions have been made despite the executives attitude towards us. And the new president-elect, Eric haps ese to be so dice like Hammond, will be more of the same.
The union executive is hell-bent on destroying the rank and file organisation. Just look at the way it's closed down the branches who didn't agree with the policy of putting tame appointees on Labour Party management committees.
Union policy is one of removing the power from THE TIMES DISPUTE THE TIMES electrician's dispute started on 20 December, when nine out over management's demand that they operate new and additional equipment which had meeT management had announced that none of the 92 electricians would be paid unless the men returned to work. The chapel (works unit)
met, and walked out in support. The dispute was backed by the London press branch Management refused to negotiate, wanted the men back working on the blacked equipment - before they'd begin talks. The men stayed out, support by all the other unions involved, until an agreement was reached SOGAT negotiators chapel voted to accept the negotiated settlement with onlv one vote acainst. They return ed to work, as Sean Geraghty put it, 'smelling of roses'.
tempt by Murdock to impose a wage freeze had been effectively broken.
elected shop stewards and putting it in the hands of appointed officials.
How do you think this can be changed? What needs to be done?
needs most is democracy. First. the decisions conTerence must be Dinetic ou the executive. They reflec the views of the rank and file member One way to make sure of this is to elect In attempt to manacement announced that no member o the paper staff would be paid unless an edi The December. Sean Geraghty drew his own conclusions:
anagers motives for.
Managers' is to read the New Years Honoms List, able to read fresh from the Palace.
our officials Take the vote whether of not to join the Market. Our Cone chee voice LWO against Yet the at that year's voted in favour.
When Chapple came to power in the EEPTU it heralded a purge of the left in the union. What GOES that CADCHCHE tell you about the Labour Party witch. hunt?
It's a question of who the real wreckers inside the labour movement are electricians walked Within half-an-houl they unconditionally the ald Of On Friday 31 December, a meeting of the Management had egg on its face: the atWhen my branch supthe Chapple alleged it was a political strike. Every strike is a political strike.
We were carrying out TUC policy, and helping protect the health service for everyone in this coun try Chapples's role in the and in the about Party has always been He break the Times appeared on Fridav 3 of the Board of the Friday deadline Year's Honours List follows in the footsteps of —like those who sold ou past labour -eaten the ge sral strike such people have Chapple and Healey and Hattersley cohorts the prospects for the working class are very bleak indeed We'll end up Tory watered-down policies which they claim are in the interest of get ting good returns at the These are the labour leaders whose politics will maintain the divided socie ty we live in, not change i