Derry Day of Action

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workers supported the Derry march in support of the hunger strikers on Wednesday 15 April.

The march was part of an Industrial Day of Action in which several hundred workers walked out of factories, shops and other workplaces to join the march.

Among the workplaces involved were Denim Factory, City Factory, Essex Factory and Wellworthsmainly women workers.

Teachers, office staff and post office workers were also represented.

Also present were the Youth Against Oppression group and delegates of school students from St. Columbs College and Thornhill College as well as Women Against Oppression.

Notably absent wis 'rinted by East End Offset Ltr s of the Workers Socialist Lea inated by the Miltant group and the Official Republicans of Sinn Fein, the Workers Party) and contingents from the official trade union movement.

An important feature of the march was the presence of British trade union dele gations.

There were banners from Greenwich Trades Council, Hackney Trades Council, Camden Trades Counch, Wandsworth and Battersea Trades Council, Edinburgh Trades Counci. Hackney Labour Party, and AUEW Ashford No. 2 branch.

The rally at the end of the march was addressed by Paddy Logue (Derry H Blocks/Armagh Committee), Sean Keenan Veteran Republican), Liam Gallagher (AUEW), Dave Hallsworth (Tameside Trades Council). the Assistant Secretary of London E2. and Eamonn McCann.

Feeling at the rally was very strong and it was clear that hunger : striker Bobby Sands' election victory has given an enormous boost to the campaign for political status.

Several speakers were critical of SDLP MP John Hume who was noW demanding that Sands come off the hunger strike and take his case to the European Commission for Human Rights.

This was soundly rejected and a call was made for the SDLP to support the hunger strike-and for SDLP councillors to come off all councils and public bodies until the hunger strike was resolved:

There was also a call for a trade union inquiry into the H Blocks and Armagh Jail. trade union leaders wi heavily criticised for th silence on the hunger stri The biggest applause v for Dave Hallsworth Tameside Trades Coun whose speech focussed the solidarity work be carried out in the labr movement in Britain and 1 history • oi lameside Ira‹ Council's disaffiliation fr Hallsworth's contribut and the delegates from British trade union mo ment gave political stren to the rally and Day Action.

It is important that solidarity work in Brit continues and that resc tions in support of Bot Sands and the hun strikers are brought urge ly into trade union i Labour Party branches.