'IF WE could win the battle at Robb Caledon's Britain, we could turn government's policies. them once and for all.' This was the message from Jimmy Airlie, of the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders work-in of ten years ago, at a rally in support of the week old sit-in Robb Caledon shipyard in £5000 trade unionists came from all over Britain to offer their support and various Dieages or Inalcial support were made.
1c call tative from the neighbouring Kestrel Marine Yard donated £1000 and a further £4000 was raised from and make a stand at every factory throughout the tide against this We could get rid of the meeting.
BOD Barty, the shop steward convenor at the yard, said he was pleased with the outcome of the meeting.
South 'We have colleagues in shipbuilding who travelled up the England from the west of Scotland and Edinburgh.
'The support was tremendous and if anyone needed convincing of the support we were getting, it was there for all to see in the Park Hall today. Robb Caledon ship yard, convenor Bob Barty centre right Workers in the shipbuilding industry are ing in one day strikes support of Robbs.
16,000 went out on 5 October. Puzzle Bob Barty said that, 'It puzzles me why the televiand the newspaders say that there was a mixed response and yet in almost the next breath they say that yards in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow were on holiday and that support from those yards working was almost 100 per cent.' At Robbs' sister yard Leith, Edinburgh, workers relurnea lon week's holiday the Monday of the first national strike in support of Robbs.
The workers at Leith decided to out support of Robbs on the Friday and were out again the following Monday!
Bob sees the dispute in relation to the rest shipbuilding industry this way.
'Some workers at othe yards have laid off and naturally were con cerned. Attack 'But if British shipbuilders break i will give them the green light to attack the whole industry.
'We already lost 20,000 jobs in the last decade. We must put a stop to that Shining Support for the workto-rule and the one day has been good so far.
But the action needs to be stepped up An all out strike in the Cal win the dispute and also be a shining example to other workers OT to save jobs.
Donations and messages of support should be sent to the rinance Committee c/o Bob.
Jones, Caledon Shipyard, Dundee. Ford, BL Automative Products Ltd is a major supplier of components, mainly brakes and clutches, to Fords, ‚Leyland Renault and Peugeot, and the effects of the strike are Socialist Support Socialist Challenge by taking out a standing order Your Bank ...
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Signed. Unity chairperson of the staff unions combine committee stated that this is a significant dispute because the members are prepared to fight for their jobs and they aren't going to accept redundancies now or in the future at any AP plant He said redundancies would continue to OCCU while workers are busy fighting each other, uniting solidarity to fight the com mon enemy.
Messages support and donations sent to th AP strike committee, , c/o 36 Foxes Way, Warwick. 30-94-57.
.....Monthly ..And on the same date in the month thereafter.
Socialist Challenge 8 October 1981
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