massacre hundred redundancies.
have been over 800 redundancies. In order to grasp whats gome on at necessary to understand why profitable, and takeover of an old British ruling class institution like The Times represents.
Few profitable. This economic crisis but the general decline in newspaper readership become a much The mouthpiece of the British ruling class. has lately found difficulty establishing its own distinct space in the newspaper spectrum. Thus, while the Guardian's circulation has in creased by 50 per cent in ten years, that of The Times has stagnated trade unionism has established a high level of staffing and wages doch is itself a reflection of another process at work - the increasing inroads into British newspaper ownership by multinational corporations.
knock down price of E15m. that the real estate of the firm alone is worth £50m. From a purely financial point of view Murdoch would gain massively from simply closing down the firm and walking away with the real estate cash.
an inherently unprofitable trade unions in the industry should defend their members hard-won rights conditions, jobs and pay them to be made the victims of Fleet Street's profitability crisis.
But socialists capitalist papers like The Times and Sunday Times closing down, however much they are political weapons for the ruling class.
duction in the democratic socialist policy that the should be restricted. What is needed is the nationalisation of the means of communication, including all broadcasting and newspapers, and their opening up to political parties, trade unions and other groups so that the media can be expanded not restricted.
they stand for a 'free press'. But the popular time at The Times. As we go to press. Rupert Murdoch has insisted on 600 redundancies at The Times and the Sunday Times as the price of keeping them open. It seems likely that the print unions, and in particular NATSOPA, will agree to several Since the globe-trotting Mr Murdoch took over at Times Newspapers Ltd (TNL) there The Times, it's The Times is Mr Murdoch's of the Fleet Street newspapers are reflects THOU only as television has more important Times, formerly the acknowledged declined. Strong The takeover of The Times by Rupert MurRupert Murdoch got hold of TNL at the It seems likely Producing low cost newspapers is today business. The working and not allow should be opposed to They represent part of the means of promedia, and it is no part of media It is always the boast of the capitalists that against Norman ecutives at Wembley. the TUC's to build this action.
The Emoloment and Organisation Committee of the TUC has approved an eight-point plan, ting up a Ll.1 million fund to defend unions attacked using the law and Is 10 call on constituent unions co-ordinate including, necessary.
action' the Bill. But it decided by agar votes to five against withdrawing COthe COVCTTHTERT and Is dustrial action proposals 'buts' Motion Can the TUC paign be made effective?
The sort of action was outlined at Sunday's Annual Genera Meeting COT the Lancashire County ASSOCCERE of Trades which passed a motion demanding:
LABOUR Greater London CounA MASS lobby on 5 April is to demand action Tebbit's anti-union 'Employment' Bill. The Liaison Committee for the Defence of Trade Unions has called the lobby outside a meeting of 112 trade union exwho will be discussing eight-point plan against the Bill. Socialist Challenge calls on all its supporters *National and regional demonstrations *Organisation of industrial action against the Bill.
An end to TUC participation in discussions with the government. *A massive publicity campaign to expose Tory hypocrisy.
Commit We are asking every trade union body in Lan cashire to commit itself to weignt and resources union or shop stewards committee facing 1 the use Tebbit's Prior's Bill, said secretary John Parkinson. *When Heath's legislaton was introduced and in fact when Labour tried to bring in anti-union legislation in 1969, there were one-day strikes and mass demonstrations. This is the kind of action we need now to stop the Bill going through.
The meeting agreed that resistance to Tebbi STEELE 00SIS by side defence o all existing struggles.
Next weekend is to sec Leyland demonstration against Tebbit and in defence of British Leyland workers' ODS It backed by BL strikers, by the Lancashire Association, the local James Prior - whose 1980 laws paved the way for Tebbit's Bill Confederation of Shipbuilding and Unions County We are fighting for an understanding of the wa law as stands is being used to prevent Bathgate workers from using whatever tac tics they see fit to carry the dispute to a successful Conson sala Jont Parkinson.
The response to this kind of call shows that it is both realistic and possible begin now preparing for one-day against the Bill, as part of a campaign of mass actior designed to smash it. But this can work only if, as ir Lancashire. it is used as part of the mobilisation around all existing strug gles and not as substitute.