Gec Sympathy Strike
Socialist Press1978 1978-07-12Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 10 →
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SOCIALIST to: Socialist Press, 31, Dartmo _Subscribe!. WSL, 31, Dartmouth Park Following the sacking of 17 computer operators at GEC's Stoke plant, Coventry, some 1600 members of ASTMS and TASS staged a token strike and one-day mass picket last Wednesday.
The sacked operators had been threatened with dismissal on June 27 when they refused to accept the management offer in response to their pay claim.
On strike for 19 weeks, they have recently been joined by contract engineers who have been locked out following imposition of sanctions.
At the mass picket one ASTMS worker told Socialist Press:
"The tactics of GEC are intimidation not negotiation"
The company, notorious for its low wages, has decided to hit back at the workers who have submitted a number of pay claims over the last few months:
One feature of the GEC pay fights has been the insistence by union leaders that the claims are within the 10% limit. For example the ORKERS SOCIALIST LEAGUE SUMMER SCHOOL July 23-30, 1978 •The Reconstruction of the Fourth International"
Classes on Stalinism and the National Open to WSL members and supporters For further information write to WSL, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill London NW5 1HR operators claim responsibility.
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Address extra sections Pickets told Socialist Press that all out strike action in support of those sacked had been rejected for the time being. The lessons of other strikes where workers, starved of real support and leadership from the trade union officials, have collapsed after weeks on strike have led the GEC workers to think in terms of pulling certain key sections out and financing their strike by levies on the members still at work.
"This is to show that we have got strength and wil come out if they won't talk to us" said one picket., The tenacity of the different groups of workers at GEC shows that given correct leadership important gains can be made. However, unless the problem of wage control is tackled head on the workforce will remain vulnerable.
All possible support must be given to the operators whose sacking provides the central focus of the many battles with GEC management which are looming in the next few months.
ARSA .£1.10 . £2.20 . £5.50 £10.00 he
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