Noustrial Newsi Print Action Called Off

Socialist Press no. 42, 8 September 1976 · scan p. 10 · about 356 words

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Fifty provincial newspapers which ceased publication as a result of industrial action by members of the National Graphical Association (NGA) on 23rd August resumed publication last Friday.

The dispute arose when the National Council of the NGA agreed to implement the decision of the Bouremouth Biennial Delegate Conference to black all typesetting and lay out originated by non-union sources.

EMPLOYERS

While most employers were prepared to cooperate in insuring that non-union work was excluded, ; two provincial newspaper groups, . United Newspapers and East Midland Press, refused to coopcrate, and instead issued. 48-hour dismissal notices to all NGA .me s entorcing the the tional Council.

RETALIATED

The NGA retaliated by instructing all members working for these two newspaper groups to report for work but to refuse to carry out their duties unti the employers withdrew the dismissal notices and agreed to ban non-union typesetting and lay-out.

As a result over 12,000 NGA members stopped work and 50 provinical newspapers ceased publication. Now, after two weeks, the employers have agreed to withdraw dismissal notices and the NGA has called off its action while further negotiations take placé.

The fact that NGA General Secretary Joe Wade was able to report that "the loyalty of members concerned is not only 100% but extremely enthusiastic" is an indication of the support that can be won in principled struggle to defend the jobs of union members.

• Throughout the dispute the NGA leadership have made it clear that they are not seeking to take work away from other print unions.

But with the recent developments in printing technology, many NGA members are either unable to. find work or face redundancy. It was in this context of threatened jobs and a general rise in the militancy of the working class nationally, that the NGA National Council decided on industrial action.

If the negotiations with the United Newspaper Group and the East Midland Allied Press prove fruitless, their newspapers must immediately be brought again to a hait, backed with the preparation of national strike action necessary to bring the maximum possible pressure onto the employers and outlaw non-union origination. Scargill