Steel Sit-in Support Call

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The occupation at Reinforced Steel Services in Greenwich is now in its fourth week. It began when six workers were sacked, and seven suspended, as a result of the whole factory striking in support of the NUPEcalled 11 May demonstration against the cuts.

The British Steel Corporation, of which RSS is a subsidiary, had already announced plans to close the plant, but it was only when the workers occupied that they discovered a detailed plan for a small substitute factory in Enfield which would use equipment from the Greenwich plant.

This plan had not been mentioned in any of the closure 'consultations' This came at the same time as CTORY CUPIED decures the discovery of management-kept dossiers on leading militants in the factory and on job applicants, and exposure of the involvement of the extreme right-wing Economic League, and the Special Branch, in providing information on 'extremists' FILES The workers' opening of the files also starkly revealed collaboration between management and the ISTC-one of the unions involved-at the time of a safety strike earlier this year.

During the present occupation the ISTC officials have been busily sending telegrams telling the strikers to return to work Despite this coordinated opposition the strikers are standing firm and calling for support from fellow steelworkers and other trade unionists.

They very quickly received backing from NUPE workers in SE London and even from a hospital in Sheffield.

They are calling for full blacking on steel reinforcement rods at London's building sites, and on movements of rods to the South East.

This means they are asking for support from dockworkers in London, and from workers in other plants (Sheffield and . Newport) of the reinforcing section of BSC.

Resolutions, messages of support, and finances should be sent to: Mitchell, ISTC Branch Secretary, 24, Kentmer 3 Rd., London SE18.