Four hundred SOGAT workers have now been occupying Tillotson's packaging and printing factory in North Liverpool for over three weeks, following the sacking of four chapel officers.
The original dispute stretches back to 1967, when Tillotson's, part of the St. Regis (UK) combine, began a long term redundancy programme which has slashed the SOGAT work force from 700 to about 400 in six years. Last year the workers decided to call a halt to this, and eventually an agreement was reached. The company, however, eventually went ahead with its plans and threatened to chop 103 jobs in September last year. The workers responded with the threat of a work-to-rule, against all cuts in the labour force, "voluntary" or otherwise, and as a result a joint working party was set up. Nevertheless the management sacked 23 women while negotiations were going ahead, and the chapel hit back with a work-to-rule which led to the union officers being sacked for an "unfair industrial practice under the Industrial Relations Act. When the officers tried to attend a chapel meeting in the plant. they were kept out, and that same meeting voted to occupy against redundancies and From PAUL COOPER At first, workers in the four other unions (NGA, SLADE, EEPTU, AUEW) were let in to carry on working, but they were then sent home, mostly on full pay for the time being, when management's representatives were kept out of the plant. So far this has presented no particular problems since the other unions support the SOGAT workers. But there is an ominous parallel with the recent struggle at CAV-Lucas, where the divisions between different unions and between the occupiers and the locked out workers eventually crippled the whole struggle and contributed to defeat. The occupiers at Tillotson's should therefore pull out all the stops to involve the other unions in the sit-in so that the workers can present a united front to the company.
The occupiers themselves, mainly women, are 100% solid, and support so far has been encouraging. The local SOGAT branch has put a levy on its 4000 members, and many local factories such as Fisher-Bendix and Metal Box have organised collections. Liverpool Trades Council has called on all Merseyside workers to assist Tillotson's struggle. heeded. In the first few weeks the CAV workers were overwhelmed by support. But as the struggle dragged on, it dwindled badly. This must not be allowed to happen at Tillotson's The dispute committee's assertion that It is our light today and may be your fight tomorrow" is not quite correct it is everybody's fight today; the working class has to make every fight against repression and redundancy its own if we are to go forward. Vague statements and resolutions about opposing repression need to be converted into concrete action over specific examples of repression like Tillotson's and the Shrewsbury building This is one of the few examples of the occupation tactie being used to fight an issue other than mass redundancy or factory closure. We must show that Tillotsons are fighting the same battle against unemployment that the CAV workers were, and the same battle against repression of militants that the building workers are fighting now. A victory at Tillotson's would help not only to broaden even further the use of an effective tactic; it would be a political step forward in the struggle against the ruling class's onslaught on the most advanced militants of the working class.
Send donations, messages of support to: At one stage there was an attempt through the local T&G official to do a deal which would have isolated the one department by accepting the new shift system in return for wage negotations, but tne strikers were adamant about continuing with their action. Following this show of unity and determination, management was forced to offer negotiations on the shift system ana une wage claim. coupied win a nre: months guaranteed no redundancy offer. The task now is to prepare for the struggle against the redundancies, and a factory bulletin is being produced with this aim.
GARAGE PICKET ARRESTED One of three shop stewards leading a strike at Lankester's Garage in New Malden, Surrey, was arrested for obstruction last Friday while picketing. He was due to appear in court on Wednesday.
The strike started on Monday, 2 April, over manage mens terusar to recognise tne union and renegotiate the grading structure. Until recently management had managed very successfully to split the workforce com pletely through a complicated wage structure which meant that almost every one of the 26 workers wes earning different money. But at the beginning of this year the workers started to join the AUEW and it was agreed to put in for a wage increase which would large ly eliminate the differentials and improve particularly the position of the apprentices at the garage The strike is being supported by the Kingston district committee of the AUEW, although officiat union recognition has not vet been forthcoming. Workers at British Leyland in Cowley are blacking all supplies to the garage, which is a distributor for Austin-Morris. Attempts are now being made to extend support for the struggle in the area and also to take up the case of the arrested steward.
All donations, messages of support should be sent to: AUEW District Office, 9 Grange Road, Kingston,
The meeting of the Liaison Committee for the Defence of Trade Unions in London on 31 March, attended by over a thousand delegates, showed once again the weaknesses of the LCDIU.
Halpin, the CP chairman, wanted to run the Conference like the TUC Congress - no resolutions or amend ments, just a yes or no vote on the document. When forced to a vote on this procedure, possibly 30-40% of the Conference voted against the Chair, and the London docks delegation walked out. After the point was raised again in the afternoon session, every