IMGpapers 1980–83

Newspapers of the International Marxist Group and its forerunners, 1980–83

Solidarity with the waterworkers

Socialist Challenge No. 282, 25 February 1983 · p. 3 of the scan · 558 words

The scan: sc-no282.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive, opens at this page)

Uncorrected machine reading. This text was read by machine (Apple Vision OCR) from a scan of a newspaper page, and the page was cut into articles by machine, at the headlines found by their type size. Nothing has been corrected: expect misread words, text from a neighbouring article, and titles that are the machine reading of the headline, some of them only fragments. Quote from the scan, not from this page.
How this article was cut and titled: headline found by type size in the OCR geometry (split_tabloid.py); 1-5 of 7; machine-segmented newspaper page; uncorrected Vision OCR.

page 3 of the scan

NATIONAL UNION LEADERS look set again to drag sell out from the jaws of victory. Last year ASLEF drivers were stitched up, just as soldarity was building up and the strike was getting solid. Health workers were dragged through the same sordid experience.

Waterworkers are in fighting mood to challenge another sell out. And the solidarity they need to win A fine example was a lunchtime solidarity demonstration through Islington, North London on 17 February. Jointly orgaers strike ce mittee organised the waterat New Riverhead and Islington ColnelI workers, this attracted delegations TONE NALGO, NUPE, Photo: G M COOKSON NUR and Kings Cross ASLEF.

archers, Mick Hall frot peakın the East London strike committee explained We will stay out if we don't get what we want. We will in. sist that any final offer is brought back to meetings of members. We are in a stronger position now with gas and electricity workers Dennis Skinner MP gives forceful backing to waterworkers. lined up for a dispute. They can come in behind us and ride on our backs or they can join us so that we • CULC through This means the TUC has to get off their arses organise to back us Bob Chaplin from the Coopermill Lanes picket line in East London plained Socialist Challenge "This march shows some of the solidariПЕРІЛАНІ ty between us and other workers. We need this sort of thing The longer we keep divided the longer Thatcher will keep defeating us. The waterworkers fight everybodies fight Islington NALGO represene raly Tee isl told the rally ington council trade unions have organised todays march because we are fully behind the waterworkers. We support your fight agalns the real enemy. It's no just the Water Board but the COVCHICHE The government have manipulated negotiatons, they threatened to dismantle YOLI ICLOUaBIE! machinery and threatened your jobs'. But the speach that really drew cheers was from MP Denis Skinner. He said:

*This week the palace of varieties discussed the water industry for the first time in years. They never bother about waterworkers unti you down tools. So they're debating this with a background o a tremendous struggle.

TCHLCHIUCI the Wilberforce inquiry in the miners strike of 1972. The By C Savage miners had been out on strike for 6 weeks and they grip of the economy. the first time the Heath Government recognised the power of the working class they got some posh men together elite class. They did this when, like you the miners were winning their strike And like the miners, the amount of money you get demands on the resistence you show before and after With Wilberforce thes gave the miners almost all inev wanted because ther stayed on strike. And the miners pushed their vantage and said we want more than that.

So you should go fo the full claim. Don't settl for less. They say a lot about your union being moderate I'm on executive with your leader and I can tel is. But it's no David Basnett that count: but the strength of the people here today. You decided to strike vote bigger than anything Thatcher ever had at the last election. The waterworkers are on the verge of a tremendous victory. Be like the miners. Demand the full claim. You're WOLLIU

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JUSTICE WATER WORKERS

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