2.15pm: the operation begins. 2.45pm: four miles out of town, in a private car park, empty lorries line up, waiting to go down to the dock. river Blackwater carrying a load of scab steel pleasure craft.
three, the lorries race through the town to the dock. 4.17pm: the lorries race through the picket line, refusing to stop, the way cleared for them by the cops. 4.18pm: the small group of pickets stand by, helpless. into handle the heavy load, is a member of the TGWU. He says he has been threatened with the sack if he refuses to work.
car tries to keep 4pm: at the height of the spring tide, the ship reaches the small port of Maldon, usually used only by 4.15pm: sent down in groups of two and 4.20pM: the crane driver, specially brought Words: Andy Weir (Peoples News Benjamin (Peoples News Service)
last Thursday breaking Danish ship, pleasure craft.
In well-planned operation, 20 or so lorries went through the 10-strong official picket men? Service). Photos: Nick Oakes and Mark THE tiny Essex coast town of Maldon was drawn into the hub of the national steel strike afternoon when a strikethe Ditte Holmo, delivered steel at a wharf normally used by line, heading for the motorways.
This is just one example of a nanonwide steel-smuggung 4.40pm: alorry is loaded with its 15-ton roll of steel. Dockers are meant to have been instructed by their union not to handle scab steel. Who are these operation that is managing to avol the bockace or see n the registered and maintain imports at the precrike leve Steel is entering Britain Sual DOTL Cornwall, Devon and Essex, and others in the North.
were unloaded at Maldon on Thursday, a small quantity in requirements but important enought warrant the organisation of a convor lorries, which travelled hundreds of miles. This was Dackca-wo oy unc local Donce.
4:50pm:
this man claims to have organised the transport. He asks that the names on the lorries not be photographed or Til be out of a job 4.55pm:
the scab unloaded. headed by a chief inspector and a superintendent, who helped to co-ordinate the arrival of the • JOELICS dock.
The police claimed that they WEIC • Lucie prevent damage to anybody's property' but their profile could have changed a officers waited out of sight in time Hundreds _case trouble escalaleu The pickets managed snatches of conversation with only one or two or cae drivers all of whom looked as though they had expected opposition.
wal. 5pm: stopped.
os anernoon passca Ice evening it became clear there of stopping the scabs. But pickets came closi the untoading by talking to the mobile crane CHIG pickets had been there before he arrived he would not have crossed lie nicker line, once on the job he risked the sack for stopping work Police protection or t meticulous. patrolled Maldon and the roads around it. • When a vanload of pickets went to the car park three lorries were gathering before coming into the wharf, police motorcycle followed When the van arrived, the motorcycle was already there police van, told the pickets that the would not be allowed on th since the owner of the car "wanted no damage to his property While the pickets were still La police sargeant said nette mole actic or. lorries would be coming. Barely three minutes • later CUZC car park.