Grosvenor Sheffield

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At hotels in Sheffield. Oxford and London bitter struggles are now taking place for union organisation.

In each case workers are finding themselves confronted by a viciously anti-union employer, yet have received next to no active backing from union officials supposedly "organising" the hotel and catering industry.

Despite these obstacles the strikers, spurred on by the need to fight the rock bottom wages and feudal working The second Trust Houses Forte hotel an on the spot report on the strike.

AŞDOH HONdASOTS T&GWU must call national black of all Tru House Forte hotels an subsidiaries!

inton Lodge 'Socialist Press' interview T&GWU shop steward.

What was the origin of your strike?

We had asked the manager for a contract of employment. At the beginning of November the owner, Mr Levi, came to discuss it with us and agreed we'd have contracts by the time he returned from America on December 1st.

At this time the union didn't come into it. But we were going to start a union anyway. People were always moaning. So I went to Transport House and that was it. We rushed it up a bit to be in a better position to get a better contract.

It was on the 15th we told them we were in the union. Two days later two of us were handed our notice by the manager who said we hadn't settled in the hotel!

So we went to see Hewlett in Transport House. He asked the manager to withdraw the notices. He just said "Talk to my solicitor' By that time he had sacked chambermaid and was telling everyone in the union to quit or lose their job. So at that point the union declared the strike.

Sixteen out of the 29 workers in the hotel came out. All the strikers were then dismissed for taking part in the strike.

All we have been demanding is reinstatement. union recognition and talks about our contract of employment. That's all.

LOST £4.000

How has the strike affe •ph Then they lodgings?

YES. A: 5 cai = SmaC High Court i= T&GWU:

OVER FIFTY WORKERS at the Grosvenor House Hotel in Sheffield (all members of the T&GWU) have now been out on strike for three weeks after months of negotiations with management produced only a flat refusal to recognise the union.

Right from the start top directors of Trust Houses Forte stepped in to fight this dispute as part of their national fight against unionisation.

"'TRAINEES"

On the first day all the strikers were dismissed and a coachload of "trainee managers" brought in as scab labour.

Since then pickets working long hours in sub-zero conditions have stopped the great majority of deliveries and many customers.

In response to the lead giveri at Grosvenor House, workers in other hotels have begun applying to join the T&GWU.

But to bring about a swift victory the action must be stepped up and spread to prevent goods being smuggled in via other Trust Houses Forte subsidiaries.

As Trevor Jones, a strike committee member, told Socialist Press:

"We should have more mass pickets. We want this brought ap on the Trades Council. And we want national blacking of THF and its subsidiaries because we feel this is the only way we can win this battle, since they've got so many hoteis.

THF must be made to realise they're taking on the T&GWU nationally - not just a few members in Sheffield"

Tosti, hotel?

The manager has admitted losing £4,000. We have turned away lots customers. Some of them have been very sympathetic especially when we show them the letter of dismissal.

Through the picket we've stopped most of the usual deliveries the baker, the milk, the post office, the swill bin collectors and the rubbish collectors.

They don't cross the picket. The brewers don't deliver either. Then you've got the small suppliers: They just don't want to know. But for most things the management now have to hire a van and go and get the stuff themselves.

What support have you picket line?

Mainly students, including from Ruskin College. Workers as well.

But not sent by their union.

They've come of their own accord.

We went to the meeting of the Trades Council.

They said they would organise a picket among the unions, but nothing has come back. The only thing they did was to organise the March on December 11th.

That's when the management took the opportunity to disconnect the electricity and the telephone.

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