Solidarity action halts London papers in NUJ battle

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Weekly papers in the London area have been severely hit-and in many cases stopped-by the strike of journalists over a London allowance.

The strike started after two mass meetings of members in London had rejected a £2-£4 a week offer from the Newspaper Society. Out of 450-5.00 members on the weekly papers and Slough Evening Mail less than 20 are scabbing.

Within three days of the strike starting the employersled by Westminster Press , hatchet man Frank Barlow-had made a slight increase in the offer and promised to index link their offer. But the £4 a week offer still brings London weighting £440 a year, less t £1,000 claim.

Large white In one week more papers have been stopped in London than in the whole of the seven week provincial journalists' strike in 1978/9. Largely this has been because NGA members have been refusing to set anything other than advertisements and an editor's comment column. Thus papers which have appeared have had large white spaces.

But this response by the NGA-the outcome of several weeks negotiations between the total payment to han half the officials of the two unions-is clearly the opposite of what the NUJ fought for during the NGA dispute-members to refuse to cross picket lines where a scab publication was being produced.

Now even this present inadequate level of NGA support isas we go to press-threatened with withdrawal. The NGA council meeting on Wednesday was due to discuss a proposal to set all editorial copy 'normally' supplied-in other words all scab copy.

NGA deputy general secretary Tony Dubbins is thought to be in contact with the Newspaper Society-who have been adjusting their tactics according to NGA response.

While Barlow, during negotiations, expressed himself to be satisfied with the NGA support, he has clearly suspended NGA members on Westminster Press who followed the line.

He has also taken the unprecedented step of cancelling trainee journalists places at college as revenge for their participation in the strike. (Previous established practice is that college places have not been cancelled, although some times the unon has had to underwrite the cost of the course).

Tough battle

NUJ members-who have just completed the process of drawing up a claim for £20 a NGA leader Wade week and a 37½ hour week with vastly improved maternity pay for the national claim-now have the prospect of a tough battle. They must repudiate all agreements not to ask NGA members to observe the pickets and fight for the real solidarity action which alone can win the claim. in commercial vehicles where the Bathgate plant which was working one week on and one week off is now going down to The management of Ayrshire Marine Constructors at Hunterston, where 900 workers have been in dispute for three weeks over inadequate safety measures, are now stating that they will reopen the site only on condition that 40 workers of their choosing will not be reemployed.

These 40 obviously include the leading shop stewards.

Setback

In their determined campaign the workers received a setback last Friday when the government's Health and Safety Executive declared that the employers are clear in relation to conditions on the site.

The strikers however remain committed to the struggle, convinced of the justice of their case. They are seeking support throughout the labour and trade union movement..

All messages, financial and moral support should be sent to the Shop Stewards Committee, (Hunterston Distpue) c/o TUC