Dockyard pickets

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Despite having taken the mistaken step of accepting their P45s, the 650 workers declared redundant at Western Ship Repairers on Merseyside have refused to accept the loss of their jobs.

They have decided to continue picketing the yard's gates to prevent maintenance men from carrying out essential work on the pumps which stop damage to the dock gates.

Burst open

As soon as these pumps break down, pressure builds up on the dock gates as the tide changes. This causes them to burst open causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.

Relying • on this tactic to pressurise the company into re-employing them, the workers, who are now on the dole, are making a last ditch attempt to save their jobs after months and months of campaigning and lobbying up and down the country. Last week, however, a group of management scabs managed to get in to carry out this vital maintenance work.

Members of the Workers Socialist League have argued that the only method of fighting this sabotage of their fight to save jobs is to occupy the yard.

But some pickets appeared to be under the illusion early last week that if they keep the picketing peaceful and avoid trouble with the police they could bring pressure to bear by appealing to the solidarity of the maintenance men.

This appeared to work until the company sent in the management scabs.

Low profile

The pickets are naturally wary of "breaking the law" particularly as the law of trespass could be used against any occupation.

So far the police have been keeping a low profile, but it is clear that if the men attempt to effectively picket the gates and use force to prevent management entering then the police will be used to break the picket line as they did for months at Grunwick.

At the moment the men are receiving dole, but they are concerned about losing it if they occupy the yard.

•A meeting on Monday 24 July, attended by 100 of the 650 sacked workers decided to set up an "action committee", , but not to take the only action that can save this fight-occupation.

This fight has been led up blind alleys for too lọng and individuals will begin to drift away if decisive action is not taken immediately.

All the concern about the law -which is the bosses' law-or "public opinion" or money must be put aside.

A WSL leaflet given out at the mass meeting on Monday in addition to calling for an occupation, also called for an elected committee to "open the books" and for nationalisation under workers management if the firm is proved not to be viable as a privately owned enterprise.

The only way to defend jobs is to fight for the nationalisation without compensation of the shiprepair industry and the fight for workers' management in the nationalised shipbuilding industry.