Sn endi No one bke auer ae a c o cdce have been affected by pickets and the closed shop in their time. But let's take some points from the code perore we gel into tnal 'It is lawful for a person to induce a breach of contract in the course of picketing only if he (sic) DIckens al or near mis own organiser of pickets should always maintain close contact with the police..
'An official is regarded as representing only those members of his union whom he has been specifically appointed cr elected to represent.' Well, that's all very cosy. Quite possibly Mr Prior has never been on large pickets like those at Grunwick during the battle over union samuev daes wwer engneenue workers olncu uit miners in stopping the movement of coke in the 1972 suike.
Mr Pror nas probably never had the pleasure of joining lots of strange but friendly people set on such an inspring purpose a: tones mar re saoud oe concernca lo resulicl Dalticipation to those directly involved in a dispute.
Among the heros of the Tory backbenchers, for example. Is Mr John Gorst, who along with the police and the courts did much to help Mr George Ward continue to defeating the Grunwick SEIKCIS Mr Gorst, who is a Tory MP and a leading figure in the Freedom Association doesn't know one end of a film processing lab from the oiner — although he does have a few ideas about strike breaking.
Most emplovers. of course. have no need of his They have such outfits as the CBI to help scI vILes. them out, and firms can always rely on other business scoort - i nOl ulci valcul Cull ballic raw material and finished goods.
The truth is that Mr Prior is not so much worried about who is on a picket line, as how many "ne number workplace should be limited to what is reasonably needed to permit the peaceful persuasion of those entering or leaving the premises who are prepared 1o listen.
As a general rule, it will be rare for such a number to exceed six, and frequently a smaller number will be sufficient.
Mr Prior seems a chummy fellow, so perhaps he coesn t renone v kut benne outlaere aksx oruS if we're that lucky sand workers not to go in, with a battalion of police to see that we do it nicely, and convoy trucks rumbling though the gates, could be chilly.
Employment Secretary thal wien toetes „ aOn TO meetings or those nice evenings at the club.