Police Charge Hotel Line

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Police charged on pickets outside the Randolph Hotel, Oxford, last week in a violent demonstration of solidarity between the forces of the state, Trust Houses Forte and fascist elements.

Snatch squads charged 300 demonstrators who had gathered to prevent 'Self Help' supporters carrying out their declared intenand trade union picketing"

As the demonstration stood tirm, the police entered the hotel from the side then charged the picket from the back.

Policemen hurled • themselves on demonstrators, lashing out on all sides. After an hour and a half of struggle 38 demonstrators had been arrested, the fascists had been forced into the hotel and the whole workers' struggle against Trust Houses Forte had developed to a new high point.

The object of the Dowager Lady Birdwood and her Self Help fascists was not of course to hold a meeting (for which most of the 70 or so had travelled from London) but simply to cross the picket.

THF are showing signs of extreme strain in the dispute. They have launched a press campaign costing tens of thousands of pounds to win friends and influence people with full page advertisements in national and local press.

This paid-for space-"We will continue fighting for freedom of the individual" —has been enthusiastically backed by a witchhunt throughout sections of the press against Alan Law, the TGWU Region 5 organiser.

In part this desperation has arisen through the complete and total victory after five and a half months by the workers at the Linton Lodge hotel in Oxford.

The Linton Lodge victory, the linking of THF with fascist elements, the witchhunts against Law, have caused fundamental problems for the union bureaucracy.

Law has been forced into action in opposition to Jack Jones, who had committed himself to. collapsing the strikes. Blacking is now being implemented in Region 5.

Massive pickets have been rraised for special occasions. Law has been forced to fight to protect his reputation in Region 5 and in doing SO has shown just what effect blacking can have.

The Night Out club in Birmingham not only faces the cutting of supplies (as does the nearby Albany Hotel) but it also faces a complete ban by Equity from August.

The question is how Law will face up to the inevitable right wing backlash. Already the involvement of the National Association of Freedom is evident and injunctions are being prepared against the pickets.

The first arrest - 37 followed Last week pickets were arrested for obstruction but the charges were later dropped.

Scabs at the club went to Transport House in London to complain about Alan Law.

On Saturday they organised an anti-Law demonstration in Birmingham. Despite a national mobilisation only 100 people took part in the march including scabs from the Randolph and Corley service station.

Representatives from Corley, claiming to be TGWU members said Alan Law was threatening their jobs.

The latest action taken by the Birmingham scabs (they call themselves the Night Out Staff Association) is to demand a statement in writing from Law that he will call off "unlawful picketing" . They intend to apply for an injunction.

VULNERABLE

Twenty four hour pickets continue to be maintained, by lorry drivers from Law's branch, at both the Night Out and the Albany Hotel.

In Sheffield where the strikers have been at the most vulnerable through the refusal of the district officials to give any backing, they nevertheless unanimously rejected the management's offer of minimal compensation to go away. A similar offer had already been rejected at Far from fading away the strikes at Birmingham, Sheffield and EXPORT YEAR HAS amongst its Patrons the Duke of Kent and Jack Jones. It has amongst its sponsors the CBI and the TUC.

Export Year News-a four page boost for the international muscle of British capital carries on its front page an article headed Hotels make big contribution to exports.

The article goes on to promore special rate offers by THF at its hotels, the result of which is to face picket lines with the task of turning away business guests whose companies have paid in advance.

Nice work Jack.

Oxford are becoming a major test for the trade union movement.

Extended blacking is now--as it has been from the first-crucial to win the strikes. It is now criminal to withold the full power of the TGWU against THF and its allies.

Oxford and District Trades Union Council has responded to the attacks by calling a demonstration for a date still to be fixed. This should be made the national focus of a mobilisation to fight injunctions, fascist attacks and organised scabbing.

The campaign building around THF represents a major attack on the whole working class. The hotel workers must be supported.

LEAGUE

Public Meeting BIRMINGHAM Support the Port Talbot Strikers!

Break the Lib-Lab coalition Labour Club, Bristol Street Sunday May 22 at 7.45pm.

----- pull-quotes -----

tion of crossing the picket line to hold a meeting on "the closed shop