MASS pickets showed their power by forcing the closure Lonrho's Sheffield steel firm, Friday.
Arthur Scargill led 300 miners to 1,200 steel and workers who then threatened storIl une gales or me cast riecra plant unless the plant was closed. Earlier that morning 600 police had forced 'back to work' ISTC members through the picket.
COSuC marks
victory for the steel strike. Norton, the manager of Hadfields, had received La secrel Bill Sirs, ISTC secretary. This gave the Hadfield's management the go-ahead organise a mass meeting.
of right Socialist Challenge 21 February 1980 • Page 4 convenor, trom 6 other of Hadfields, cover the event.
The Tories between the CIHECCNY to the craft workers' that only total winning the strike.
Derek dispensation Snetite a general After throughout the to with the By wing ISTC
Mick Adams. Observers
private plants were invited to this meeting and press and television were given every tacility to hoped that divisions privalc and public strike. sector, and any sell-out negotiated by leaders would smash the strike. They were wrong.
BSC strikers are now convinced stoppage movement of steel can lay the basis of The next step is rank and file control of the dispute through a national strike committee strike. which is being pushed by militants in AOTaOR ZETCSLS week, the picket became more and more of a focus Thursday there 1,500 trade unionists outside Hadfield's East Hecla plant. Brown Barclays, the other Hadfields plant that has not received so much press attention, was already out again by that time.
Eventually the East workers took the hint and voted to The events at Hadfields have posed the trade union movement in Sheffield some problems that need to be tackled head-on No. Confederation of the Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions will need give a clear lead to overcome the divisions public and private sector in the steel Private sector workers need to be motivated not only by calls for solidarity but also by a view of what the future of the steel industry is as a whole in Britain.
The unions need an offensive strategy. Jobs can be saved through worksharing. Private company books should available to workers to develon Heclas nationalisation of the entire industry rather than allow Villiers and Derek Norton to dictate sackings when and where they choose.
In Wales solidarity has given a massive boos to the steelstrikers in both public and private sector. Throughout the length and breadth of Britain that solidarity will be crucial if the steel strike is to remain solid and be brought to a successful conclusion.
The Tories are not the invincible force they appear to be. Class-wide actions, such as those at Hadfields CeOIsLaLc the organised labour - Britain.
That power must be backed by
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