Appeals to defend the freedom of the press are flying thick and fast these days.
The cause of all this uproar is none other than the National Union of Journalists, which has suddenly replaced the print unions as the chief bogeyman of the newspaper bosses.
simply by applying a few "sanctions" to back up its wage claim agatrist the provincial employers in the Newspaper Society -in other words, by blacking copy from sun-union sources.
The response of the employers has to democracy'-and in the case of the Westminster Press, to sack 63 empipyces in tho Keerich Times group. Dir Monday an all out strike of journalists working on Nowspaper Socicty paners hegan in the London area to demand their reinstatemont.
DEMOCRACY"
intoresline light on the naturo ol democ they And the press under capitalism The editorial diroctor of the Westminster Press, for instanoe, bustified the Kerish Timer sackingsor the grounds that tha that's 'censorship"
The NUJ achieved chis distinction heen to screum bluc murder about threats Lions on the 10 millen strong TUC, BE trial Relations Act The whole affair has thrown a rather trade unionists. Journalists action interfered with an editor's right to decide what appears in his newspaper. This is censorship!
In other words, If one editor, answerable only to his capitalist proprietor, dePartnes wren an ten was what goes inco a newspaper-thal's democrucy." Bat it his cimployous, whose collerive efforts alone ensure the production of the paper, interfere at all with this bossgiven rightWAGE CLAIM Iditors and newspaper bosses are now pleading wid Michael Foot for exemption from any future legislation enforcing the closed shop. They claim in particulor that this would hit at a small grouping called the Institute of Journatists which claims to be a recognised trade unian."
recoguises by the workers organisa theo? Well-not exactly. No, these profos sonal peopic are Toognised by Be Registrar of Made Daises, as onc of a low Scab outfits left on his books after the withorawal ol most unnens over the Endus The light by jouralists, both aguest the democracy of the employors and for the closed shop, is thas a vital one for all But at the same line, sight must not be lost of the wage demand which sparked off toms controntation, The brianal hallat fig all-out strike action on the clien was lost by a scall majority, The employers response to sanctions, however, has changed the siruation; it has shown you can't po some of the way without being prepared to go all the way it necussary.
The all-out strike in London. called by the NUI Excute after a call from its London action committoe, Is an excellent move in this direction; but its terms must be extended to include the fight for the claim as well as the reinstatement of the Kentish Times journalists, Ir is also inportant that this move is usod as a focus around which to campalen among News paper Society pournalists catside Lodor I SITUAT SCION John Marsion ACTION COMMITTEE FOR THE DEFENCE OF JOURNALISTS Public meeting: Wednesday, Dec ember 11th, 7.30pm.
END STATE INTERFERENCE IN THE MEDIA!
STOP THE DAVID MAY TRIAL I St Bride's Institute, Bride Lane, EC4 Speakers include David May, Eamonn McCann and a Labour MP.