Nga Str Kecall

Scan page 11

NHS CRISIS thi Strike action by printers and a mass response by journalists to the strike for a closed shop at Darlington must now be demanded after mass arrests on the NUJ picket line.

The National Graphical Association has promised "full support" to the 106 NUJ members fighting for a closed shop at North of England Newspapers-even to the extent of stopping publication. Now those words must be translated into action.

Meanwhile, the number of arrests has grown to almost 50 and among those arrested last week was the Vice President of the NUJ, Denis MacShane, and the full time Regional Organiser handling the dispute, John Hodgman.

It was the second time in two weeks that both men have been arrested as police carried out a series of charges on the pickets.

Each charge was the signal for fresh arrests. Aiden White, NEC member who had brought a contingent from London to support the picket was delife: Cares :-: by two policemen and 20 =*2 In all. 25 pickets were arose: and many of the others were is:: with bruised ribs after a three hour struggle. Pickets came from London, Sheffield, Leeds, Kettering and Oxford.

The Deputy General Secretary of the NUJ, Charles Harkness, was sent to Darlington by the General Secretary, Ken Morgan, to oversee the picket and to "pull rank" on Hodgman, who was considered too militant.

After impotently watching for a couple of hours Harkness seized the megaphone and called on his "colleagues" to allow the van through.

The response was jeers from the membership, who refused to give way, and praise from the police chief who issued a statement paying tribute to Harkness' reasonableness.

The call immediately opened the way for the number of arrests to be stepped up.

CAUTION

The NGA support is welcome, vital and must be treated with caution. One week before the executive met, the General Secretary Joe Wade, had pushed his way through NUJ members lobbying the TUC Printing Industries' Committee and rejected their call for action.

Instead the committee sent Bil Keys, General Secretary of SOGAT, thairmany or testminster Press parent company. The NGA say they are now waiting for the results of these talks.

NUJ members on the lobby had called for an instruction from each of the print unions not to cross the picket lines and not to handle 'blacked' copy.

So far the extent of the support has been to refuse to handle copy by two members in the London office who are scabbing on the stike there.

While the strike goes on, a new right wing group in the union has been formed with the backing of some NEC members. The organisation, which as yet has no name. has the sole aim of fighting the leit in the union.

SPONSOR

One of its sponsors, Jenn: Harris, has been paid by the relegraph for an anti-union piece. which the Westminster Press has ordered to be syndicated throughout its papers.

Westminster Press chapels are blacking all group syndicated copy and Press Association copy, being used to break the strike.

The key demands for the Darlington strike must now be: 1. Strike action by all print workers at North of England Newspapers. 2. Continued mass pickets by NUJ members until the paper is stopped 3. Force Harris and other NEC members working against the strike to resign from the Executive.