DEFY NEW ANTI-UNION JUDGEMENT Stand picketing

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Transport drivers picket Willesden, North London ICAD insults low pay writ issued by management at United Biscuits, reveals yet again the reality of the "freedom of speech" and "justice" boasted about by British capitalist politicians.

Weeks of vicious anti-picket witch-hunting in the Toryowned press and mass media had set out to provoke violent attacks on lorry drivers picket lines. One Scottish picket had already been killed by a scab lorry.

Wing"-though the law defines no The hysteria was stoked up further by Prime Minister such category. Callaghan-defended by Len Murray-boasting his willingness Justice Ackner made absolutely to cross any picket line. clear the political nature of his judgement and the state's fear Frightened Meanwhile, frightened Sam Silkin, he arbitrarily TGWU leaders, wielding Moss declared that the picketing in Evans' picketing code, applied all of their energies to sapping from the lorry drivers' dispute the strength of rank and file to be legal. strike committees that had shown beyond doubt the immense power of the working class. intend to legislate to bring Then United Biscuits chief about its own destruction" , he Hector Laing, a political advisor proclaimed. to Margaret Thatcher, moved in with a lawsuit against Reg Fall matter.

NUPE Paid i says: all out against NUPE: - theLow says: Paid •NOW GW OFFICIA STRIK at for supposed "secondary picket- The power of the working claşs in its struggle for basic rights and living standards Granting the injunction, Mr stands in conflict with the state apparatus that preserves crisis-ridden capitalism.

The system of law is one of the organised working class. means for the employers to echoing an earlier statement limit workers' power; but this is no more than a thin veneer beneath which lies the real threat that the ruling class may question was "too remote"

use brute force in the form of army or police intervention to enforce its requirements-with "There must be a presump- or without the law. tion that parliament does not Under the Callaghan government both these forms of attack have been used against trade unionists. At Grunwick, Labour Here is the essence of the ministers unleashed the savage violence of the police Special SION Patrol Group against picket lines; and in the occupied six counties of Ireland full scale military repression is in force to preserve British rule.

But, at the same time, legal actions taken against the UPW and the NUJ have struck heavy blows against the right of unions to apply solidarity blacking, setting dangerous precedents.

At each attack union officials have retreated without a fight.

Even while last week's court case was in progress, TGWU officials were frantically working to undermine the power of lorry drivers' strike committees and urging their members to scab on their own union's official strike.

Back-door deal

The Garners strike in London has also seen a backdoor deal between TGWU officials and police to restrict picket lines to a maximum of six-strong.

And no action has been called by the TGWU to protest at the killing of Scottish picket Bob Watson.

Under the acute tensions of today's political crisis, no trade union leader is prepared to give the necessary firm answer to this offensive against picketing.

Pentonville Five Workers should not forget that it was only after hundreds of thousands of workers stopped work in a massive spontaneous strike movement that TUC leaders called any action to defend the Pentonville dockers jailed by the Tories in 1972.

Now, with a Labour government in power, these same union leaders have no intention of lifting a finger.

We say that this latest court judgement in favour of the employing class must be defied.

Picket lines must be restored where necessary, maintained and strengthened in every area under the controi of strike committees, to force haulage bosses to concede the full claim.

An all-out strike must be called in the public sector, backed up by full-scale picketPHOTO: Mark Rusher, IFL Attorney General Silkin Ling.

And the fight within the trade unions and Labour Party to force the removal of the scab Callaghan-Healey. leadership must be taken forward.

A recall Labour Party conference must be demanded, at which the strikebreaking Callaghan cabinet can be removed and a manifesto of socialist policies fought for in preparation for the 1979 General Election, And a new, revolutionary leadership, prepared to defend the interests of the working class against all attacks, must be constructed.