Assemble 2pm, at Waverley Bridge to march to a rally at MIDDLESBOROUGH Assemble 1pm, for mass rally at the Town Hall. Public meeting 9 May at 7.30pm at AUEW Hall called by local Campaign Against the Employment Bill. Speakers include John Deeson (Defend Our Unions), Dave Carter (secretary of Cleveland Trades Councils), Cyril Wheat (ISTC). John Gains, Secretary of AUEW, will be chairing the meeune.
BRISTOL Assemble 11am, at Canon's Marsh.
LONDON NEWHAM Assemble 1pm, from West Ham Recreation Ground march to Central Park. HACKNEY Assemble at 10.30am, at Hackney Town Hall march to Victoria Park for rally. EALING """- ble 11.30am, at Hamadi Clock Tower march ao Southal Part for rally. THE Tory through the House of Lords at the present time will turn the clock back to the beginning of this century if it becomes law.
Make no mistake about it, despitehaving been sold to the British bringing 'common sense' into industrial relations, the Bill brings the courts back into industrial relations in Britain — with a vengeance.
the Taff Vale judgement, ruled that a trade union could be sued and compelled to pay for damages caused when in dispute with Gesture In 1906 courts when it passed the Trade Disputes Act wilen gave trade umons legai mamunlty from civil proceedings as long as they were 'in contemplation or furtherance of a trade dispute'.
Put simply, tected from paying damages to employers when engaged in industrial action. James Prior's new Bill tries to take away this legal immunity.
the British trade union movement when it stands together and fights (as it did under
Employment Bill going
public as In 1901 the House of Lords, upholding overruled the trade unions were proFrightened by the collective strength of picketing the Heath government), the Tories are out to reduce picketing to a mere gesture.
Trade unions will no longer be immune from the law if the courts can prove tha either the 'motive for the extraneous' or the tactics used are not *reasonably capable' of furthering the Judges will be asked to decide what is and what is not 'lawful' industrial action.
Given their lack of sympathy for the trade union case the likely outcome to Prior's law is that unionists, as with the Industrial Relations Act, will end up going to jail if they picket at all effectively.
At the heart of this dispute over trade union law is a basic democratic right — the be sunke ne a group r workers have gone on strike and closed down their own factory, employers immediately respond by attempting to break the strike in Imports from abroad are used; goods are brought in from other factories; the police are brought in - even the army and always, if possible, the courts. only weapon workers have to combat 'secondary' production The steelworkers. soon realised that there wasn't much point in standing out abroad.
ficult to challenge, strike bill. They are incentives.
Thatcher has The "secondary' from that. side British Steel Corporation plants when their employers were importing steel from A tiny number of pickets can be easily driven through by scab lorries and treated as 'unrepresentative' by the local police. A much larger body of workers is more difas the salley Jalt picket showed during the 1972 miners' Closed shops are also threatened in the will require an 80 per cent majority to be effective (the Tories won the election with 33 per cent of the vote!) The press will gain even greater influence over trade union affairs as secret ballots through financial Already the employers are screaming for Len Murray's blood for daring to organise a political strike on 14 May. If this Tory Bill goes through such Days of Action will become a thing of the past.
made her clear. If she can get away with Prior's law she will definitely return to the 1901 House of Lords ruling and make it the law of the land that unions should pay for strike their OWI funds. Trade unionism will take a long time to recover EDDIE COULSON, Divisional Council Chairperson, NUPE Ain the year since the Tory government was elected, it has presided over an inflation rate that has doubled, unemployment that is likely to reach over two million, cuts that are destroying many of the basic services of our society and legislation designed to emasculate the trade unions and set them back 70 years. By striking on 14 May the mood of the trade union movement should deflect the governdisastrous course. J ment from its GRAHAM DOLE, AUEW Shop Steward, Rover, Cardiff (This Tory government is -the most reactionary one we've had for a long time. The cabinet is the richest one we've ever had.
Democracy in the country is and ruled by the media. Only 33 per cent of the electorate voted for the Tories, so what gives then the right to impose on the other
14 May TUC Day of Action.
pages to attacking 'Lenin The Tory dingernment has no mandate to carry out its present pelicies.
and a halt million people on the dole. an intlation rate of 20 per destruction of the Helfare dale and tl DrescrIp2.
lames Prior's anti-union bill.
which y going through House of Lords at the present time, threatens one of the mood rights people in this country have the right to stribe and protest at unfair treatment by emplorers.
allowed 10 with one another. with ine ponce. fat The government is led by big business and they make the decisions. All trade unionists should take the day off on 14 May and turn up at their local rallies.
I see 14 May as another tepping stone to a genera trike. No way is the Tory government going to change its spots.
STEVE PILLEY, ISTC National Craft Coordinating Committee &I think MacGregor's just been sent in to de nationalise steel without having to go through Parliament and get a Bill on it. They plan to sell off all profit -firms to private industry and a lot of jobs will go in the WITH one week to go, the Tory establishment is becoming more and more hysterical about the MPs have urged employers to sue trade union regional secretary of the South East Region TUC, summed up the importance of the day for the British trade union movement when he told the Dail! Mirror last Thursday: 'A major response will be a moralebooster to our members. A poor response will Below Socialist Challenge gives ten reasons why you should be striking on 14 May as the first step to kicking out the most right-wing government Britain has seen since the war.
acton eat lace Hopesonne The first unleashed a ferocious allack on female equalit!. women are being hit particularI! hard. thes limes men: despite the Equal Pay del their waues are falling in com parison with men's: and the cuthack in social services working naratris hone school meal and school milk nas no women parnal. hard.
The Emplesment Bill contains clauses that will mahe it them or touch and take y them on.
ROWENA WOOD, teacher at a comprehensive school in Southall ‹The Tories in Ealing are attacking education by cutting down on staff - 184 jobs are going. Even the Tory council admits this will worsen educational standards. Dinner staff and cooks are going to lose their job, as well as teachers.
Teachers feel very angry about these attacks. The NUT is refusing to cover for unfilled vacancies. Last term ine union neid two nan day return to her job after having a child. 4.
The Tories aim to make blach people's lives a misery. Immihas realed O the Tories intend to keep blach l'amilies apart and to stir up racial black people already selfled here as a way of directing the the real unemployment 5.
The much talked about concessions" that promised have furned oul lo Ne an excuse tor income redistribution from rich. While those without work will have their earnings-relied benefit chopped, Those at the other end of the income seale will receive massive las conces6.
government While the lines are ward Horking publicly-on ned industries mus are squandering t2 million for faster than capitalis who will receive his money only if he successtull the dote. helps. tree Ine new Housing passing through Parliament il present time landlords renen ed powers over JOHN BOTTING, POEU London Any call from the trade unions for all-out strike ac tion should be supported by the workers.
get rid of this government is by mass action by London It's the only right we've got left - the right to strike on 14 May. The workers have got nothing and the Tories have got it all. They even want to take away our right to strike with their legislation. The TUC call for 14 May is not enough but already been THATCHER against workers ini!
- the capitalist 'Tas the Tories ine poor 1o ru houses.
to find homes.
ment benetits.
Tories claim that and that the related benetits services or an american enough deelworhers on sall emplosed while Bill that in who could gives private year. in mid-stream.
The only way to staff, Llanwern rocketing -9.
Carter's war defence billion.
DION 10.
This Ires of Britain latest one year in power. private tenants and, along with ine collapse in counch nouse building and the sale of council will make if more and more ditficult for young people rich.
For the tirst time since the "30% those who are thrown out of protest work race a cur i unempio!
and carnings lorr have the right are scrapped. Clothing grants are being discontinued and addi- The fional allowances tor laundr and heating costs for the elderl! and intirm have been reduced.
So concerned are the Tories about saving mone! That ther are employing i thousand nev 'inoop the saching civil servants in the inland revenue 'snoop' the thousands of businessmen who COUCH and not change course complaining about the price of school dinners; at 50p a time; especially if you have three children, it's an awful lot and also the threat of redundancies in steel.
Prices of food are • things go up every week. The cutback in education is going to mean more children are deprived SOCIALIST Thatcher is the most out pohen European supporter of timmy drive. Despite 'hard times, she has increased "spenditure invited America 160 Cruise Missiles in Britain and is pushing Britain into a new cour war •never endorsed by the industrial centhe North. south Wales, and scolland. 1 mon its 'majorit!' trom voters in the South of England. The council elections have contirmed popular discontent policies after onl Ordinary people in England can see what this government is out to do. I wants to mate DeODie suffer the hrunt of the economic recession. It is indeed a government ot the rich. by the rich. for the Wendy that 13 million trade unionist do have the right to Donels • m fioverument. thes strike ind demonstrate on 14 Miss Tories have laken no notice "hatsoever of the polite and feeble protests that Labour MPs have made in Parlament It a government ignores the wishes of the vast majority of people theredith one thing te get rid of il 14 May must be a huge sue cess to build a movement that can hich ou this reactionary landlords and businessmen and the "Oman who wandeat their hand of a proper education. My personal grievance was witt the mortgage rates when they went up to 15 per cent in January. I think the in crease in medical charges is disgusting.
I think we should stand together on 14 May because the Tories are trying to create a two class society and I think the only way to combat this is to support the TUC on the Day of Action We've had no directive from our union yet, but I will be coming out and going to demonstration. / the Newport HOUNSLOW Assemble at 12 noon, at The Grapes, Hayes march to Southall Park.
HILLINGDON Assemble at Uxbridge Town Centre at 1lam, march to Southall Park.
LAMBETH Assemble 11.30am, at St Mathews Meeting Place, march to rally at Imperial War Museum.
Lambeth NUT rally at 10am, Ritzy Cinema, Brixton. Lambeth NALGO rally at 10am, ACE cinema, Brixton. SOUTHWARK Assemble Camberwell Green, 11.30am, march to rally at Imperial War Museum.
CAMDEN Assemble 12 noon, Bidborough Street, march to Hawley Rd, NW1.
ISLINGTON Assemble 12 noon, Archway, march to Peoples' Festival a Highbury Fields.
BARKING DAGENHAM Ford Workers are assembling at 12.30pm at Mayesbrook Park, Goodmayes. Checkers Lane to march to Mayesbrook Park for a rally where Len Murray will be speaking.
NORTH-WEST LONDON Mass rally at Wembley Stadium, 1pm. In Barnet assemble at Burnt Oak Broadway/Stag Lane; in Brent at Willesden Green tube, , and in Harrow at Harrow civic centre - all at 10am.
BERKSHIRE Mass picket at Chix 6.30am followed by rally in Slough at 10am.
WESTMINSTER Print unions assemble at 12noon at Clerkenwell Green to march via Fleet Street to a mass rally at Central Hall at 2.30pm.
HARINGEY/ ENFIELD Assemble at 10.30am at Middlesex Polytechnic, Queens Road to march to Pymme's Park, Edmonton for rally.
SUTTON/ CROYDON Assemble at 11.30am at Thornton Heath Clock Tower to march to rally at Croydon Technical College.
BEXLEY/ GREENWICH Assemble at 1lam at General Gordon Square march to Charlton Park for rally.
BROMLEY
----- pull-quotes -----
'union's side of a dispute. Sympathy
leaders who call for strike action. give heart to the Tories.
Workers themselves. 2 JOHN WATTS, POEU
MARLENE TOVEY, ISTC non-supervisory / Locally, Caldicot people are