Picketing r under fire

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NUJ Vice President Jake Ecclestone arrested for picketing Nottingham Evening Post: a condition of bail is that he 'Amid the Tory press hysteria against picketing and Thatcher's attempts to rouse the rabble of the Jimmy Young Show into a frenzy of anti-union violence, last week brought further evidence of a concerted move to curtail basic trade union rights.

In the courts, yet another employer succeeded in obtaining a "temporary injunction" restraining pickets outside his premises, following on the anti union precedent set in the United Biscuits judgement.

But, more sinister still, the York Trailer Company at Northallerton is to. sue nine pickets for losses incurred during three days' picketing outside the factory gates in the course of the lorry drivers strike.

The employer made it clear that the action was not against the TGWU but against the nine individuals concerned.

Should the firm prove successful in this action it would have huge implications for stay away from the Post premises pickets in future struggles and amount to a direct challenge to the trade union movement.

One capitalist spokesman keen to mount such a challenge is the Chief Cónstable of Greater Manchester James Anderton.

Best remembered for the massive police protection he mobilised for a National Front demonstration in Tameside, Anderton last week called for a change in the law on picketing so that:

*Only people directly involved in the strike could picket.

*All pickets should be authorised and identified.

*A maximum number of pickets is laid down-with police having powers to limit numbers further.

Garners limit

This final provision is of course in line with the policy of TGWU Region 1 officials w have of their own acco restricted Garners picket lines •six.

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