Victory Economist Bookshop
Socialist Press1979 1979-07-04Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 11 →
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After being • on strike since December 15 last year the TGWU/ACTSS members at the Economists Bookshop have won their demand for union recognition.
Last Friday, Directors of the London School of Economics, the bookshop's partowners finally agreed to the strikers' terms, having backed down on a series of conditions that were preventing a final settlement.
The principle of collective bargaining rights for union members, which had been bitterly resisted by management for so long, had earlier been conceded.
Faced as they were with the accumulated effects of daily picketing and partial but significant blacking of supplies from book publishers, the owners decided to cut their losses, sin since the strikers' determination showed no outward sign of flagging.
LSE reps Yamey and Roberts (well-known 'industrial relations' academic), who signed the union agreement were forced to swallow what had become a seemingly endless stream of learned 'reasons' why they could never give in.
This diatribe had, to the strikers' credit, been patiently fought against point by point, basing themselves at all times on what was in essence denial of the right to organise.
In general, student support for boycotting the shop remained strong throughout and valuable help was given by fellow trade union members in Dillons and Blackwells booksellers.
A boost has been given to all those, particularly in such low-paid industries who are fighting to extend unionisation and who increasingly come up against employers more determined than ever to resist.