[The Tory Party and the right wing National…]

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The Tory Party and the right wing National Association for Freedom are making the ten-month strike against victimisation and for union recognition at Grunwicks the centre of an onslaught on trade union rights.

Encouraged by the cowardice and collaboration of TUC and Labour leaders they have thrown their full weight behind a viciously reactionary management.

But the working class has surged forward in support of the strikers, spurred on by the hostility to the brutal police attack on last Monday's mass picket in which 84 arrests were made.

ARRESTS

Since then the ranks of the pickets have grown to 1,500 each morning and arrests now total nearly 200.

As part of rising working class support, postal blacking has been reimposed. The London District UPW has correctly defied telegrams and instructions to 'work normally' from General Secretary Tom Jackson and called on branches to black the sorting of Grunwick's mail.

This action, taken up in Cricklewood and Willesden last Wednesday has now spread to other parts of London-indicating the readiness of workers to defy NAFF-directed court threats as well as police brutality.

For trade union officials the whole affair is an acute embarassment. The Grunwick strike is a fullscale class battle with no middle ground. Either the employer is defeated by the strength of the working class-or the union leadership will carry responsibility for allowing crushing setback.

SOCIAL CONTRACT

This reality exposes the illusion of there being some "common interest" between worker and employer-the- reactionary concept central to the social contract.

This is partly why Labour government spokesmen show nothing but contempt the tor workers' movement this struggle. Home Secretary Rees today, Monday, made a Parliamentary speech which was endorsed by Tory shadow spokesman William Whitelaw and which completely backs up Tory moves to new anti-union laws.

PICKETS BLAMED

Rees actually blamed pickets, under constant police harassment, for the violence at Grunwick, claiming:

"Some people have latched on to this dispute as a means of attacking the police and breaking the law."

Small wonder the Tories were delighted, Meanwhile Employment Secretary Booth was launching a futile "initiative" • This was dismissed with contempt by Grunwick management, but brought APEX General Secretary Grantham to issue a call to cut mass pickets to a maximum of 500-a figure Grantham knows to be completely inadequate to close the factory.

Grantham has sunk nearly as low as it is possible to get in humiliating bids to end the dispute. Most disgusting of all was his participation last week in a meeting with management set up by NAFF administrative director Gouriet.

PREDICTABLE

Grantham was led tamely in the gate by the vicious antiunionist Gouriet and subjected to a predictable orchestrated barracking at the hands of the assembled scab workforce-to the delight of waiting pressmen and TV cameras.

Grantham, "leader" of the 142,000 strong clerical union, was finally chased out of the factory after a "vote" had been taken.

According to the Daily Telegraph report, Gouriet went after this to meet Tory Party leader Thatcher on Friday.

Whether or not this is true there is no doubt that the Tories, recognising that the government crisis means they will soon be returned to power, are using this dispute to widen their base of anti-union propaganda and activity.

CONTINU D, Page 11, Col 2. in action on the Grunwick picket line.

The Ford Dagenham plant has exploded. A series of disputes about lay offs threaten to close the whole plant of 22,000 workers.

Workers in the body plant at Dagenham have occupied the factory locked the gates and backed stacker trucks against them to block all movement of material in or out.

The frustration which has led to what the men describe as 'the dispute to end all disputes'. flows from continuous attacks by management-moving workers around and laying off for any reason imagin able.

The main banner over the occupation demand: NO MANNING CUTS a: well as lay-off pay.

After one such lay off a month ago on the Kent line in Dagenham (which produces Cortina, Capri and Escort models) the workers resurrected their demand for 80% lay-off pay for all disputes-inter nal as well as external.

At present payment is

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-OrCs erupts