An Open Letter to all NUJ strikers

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personal capacity) giant step forward in the pay, confidence and experience of provincial journalists.

The strength and willingness of the membership to fight has been rigorously tested and that test has been decisively passed.

The test of the leadership has however revealed dangerous weaknesses which will inevitably sell the strike short if they are not quickly combatted and overcome.

Last week's meeting of FoCs in London showed in its sharpest form both sides of this equation.

Unlike other meetings of FoCs held before the strike began there was a united sense of determination. Calls to ballot for a return to work were few and far between and poorly received.

Extension

The strongest applause came when David Solomons, FoC at Bristol, called for the extension of the strike to Fleet Street and when Bob Hayward, chairman of the strike committee at the Birmingham Post and Mail, called for the expulsion from the NUJ of all blacklegs.

Solomons is a good example of someone who has shifted ground through the strength of the strike. At earlier meetings he had opposed the strike vigorously.

The success of the Bristol chapel in halting production of the paper had swung him behind militant policies to win it.

With such a strong determination to fight on for £20 a week why was it then not possible to leave the meeting satisfied that there was no danger of collapse and concentrate solely on combatting the employers, police and scabs lined up in front of us?

I was, so far as I know, the only FoC to abstain on the vote on the final resolution and i did so on the strength of chapel resolutions which pointed to serious acts of betrayal by the leadership.

PHOTO: Andrew Wiard, Report McShane NUJ leaders had to When the vote was taken it was presented as a vote to stay out. TV cameras were ushered in and a solid forest of jubilant hands were raised. No amendments or alternative resolutions to the motion tabled by the strike leaders were allowed.

The resolution itself was scarcely mentioned. Indeed union president, Denis McShane, in urging FoCs to give it unanimous backing, called for a stepping up of picketing and was cheered for his pains.

What then does the resolution say? In its key passage it calls for an end to effective picketing.

«The Industrial Council regrets the negative attitude of the Newspaper Society towards attempts to resolve its current dispute with the NUJ. In particular it regrets the failure to Ashton AT THE TRIKE VOW NOW LET-S BRO.

BACK BOLTON for the next decade and tied provincial journalists to miserable wages for longer that.

He was cheered for saying that he could understand the desire to expel the scabs but gave no commitment to support such a move.

There was, from several speakers from the floor, an attempt to combat the content of the resolution and the weak-kneed posture adopted day in, day out, by the leadership.

Journalists Charter But these protests were not channelled into any effective opposition.

Journalists Charter-the body which claims to organise rank and file opposition in the union-has launched no campaign against either a reduction of the claim or the reduction of picketing.

Such a reduction would have a shattering effect in Bristol, Uxbridge and other. places where papers have been closed by determined picketing, as well as on chapels such as Northampton where small numbers of members have mounted 24 hour pickets.

It would be seen as a prelude 'A LOCK-OUT! ... THAT'S BLOODY INGRATITUDE FROM THE MANAGEMENT AFTER ALL YOUR MODERATION!

Arrests It would strengthen the hand of the police who have been breaking up picket lines and arresting members all over the country. Ten members have been arrested at High Barnet in North London alone, three here at Oxford and more throughout I HEARD IMPATIENT-SO I TOLD 'EM THE DRIVERS WERE GETTING STRAIGHT NOT TO JUMP THE GUN, BUT ACCEPT THE $60 (OFFER...

JANUARY 78 9 0 7/ 121. 141516171819 21 22 23 24 28 29 30 HEY! HOW LONG ARE YOU GONHA BE?

Peter Mclntyre to calling off the strike whatever the result of negotiations and would remove all pressure from the employers.

the country.

The FoC's meeting in Conway Hall has shown that strength from the membership is not on its own enough.

Chapels must call now for a new FoC's meeting at which policies will be discussed and motions from chapels taken.

If the right to sabotage this strike is not swiftly removed from the leadership that sabotage will take place.

• No compromise This is no time for soft words and compromise. Chapels must demand a reversal of the policies which were passed at Conway Hall. but whose sentiments are not shared by those who voted for them.

The Oxford chapel refused to hand management a letter from the General Secretary containing the offer to reduce pickets. We do not agree to any such thing. Nor is the Oxford chapel prepared to settle for less than the full claim.

Members in support of these policies-and in support of a strengthening of the strikemust call for meetings of their chapels to demand a new delegate meeting to put such policies into effect.

Pickets at the Warrington Guardian •NEXT THING I KNEW THEY WERE ALL OUT! I EVEN HAD TO CALL IN THE MORNING STAR TO GET ME OFF THE HOOK! YES, I SAW YOUR DENIAL P PA ..VERY PROFESSIONAL!

LELE HON EI TRANSPORT HOUSE KEEP OU

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UNION DUES PHOTO: Laurence Sparham, IFL PHOTO

NO YOU FOOL IT'S ME WHOSE BEEN LOCKED OUT BY THE MEMBERSHIP!!

GUARDIAN SERT

THERE SHOULD BE A LAW 1QrINST ALAN LAW! DO OCCUPATION: