[Despite the frivolous way in which the bourgeois…]

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Despite the frivolous way in which the bourgeois press have greeted the week old strike at 'top peoples' hotel, Claridges, this strike for union recognition and reinstatement is the most recent example of the massive move towards unionisation in the hotel and catering industry.

This strike was precipitated by the dismissal of shop steward Dick Elvidge who in unionising the key kitchen section of the hotel clearly represented a threat to the management.

Majority

Over 150 members of staff representing the overwhelming majority of chamber maids, kitchen staff and floor waiters came out at lpm on Monday 10 April.

This action has clearly hit the services of the hotel which has been forced to operate a severely restricted menu and to cut facilities of hot water and central hea ing.

Despite this and the apparent support of the public, it will clearly take more than this action to win the strike.

Issuing appeals to the international bourgeoisie not to use the hotel as the first ment who have made it clear that there will be no concessions on union recognition or the reinstatement of the victimised steward Picketing itself has been severely restricted by a police limit of 11 pickets between the three entrances.

What is crucial to this strike is the mobilisation of the working class in its The way forward is clear. Claridges is part of the Savoy chain of hotels which includes the Savoy, the Connaught, the Berkley, Simpsons of the Strand, and Stone Chop Houses.

In fact the strikers themselves are members of a GMWU branch which covers this chain. These workers must be called out in solidarity action immediately.

(Even the . Evening Standard noted the devastating effect this would have on management).

However any fight for such a broad mobilisation will encounter the bitter hostility of regional official Gerry Tilston, well known to Socialist Press readers for his sabotage in isolating the Metropole strike last year).

Tilston has convinced the strikers by building illusions in the class collaborationist policy of taking the dispute to ACAS and in Elvidge's case to an industrial tribunal.

Bitter lessons of other disputes have shown both the class bias of these organisations and their total ineffectiveness.

It is essential that the Claridges workers learn the lesson of the 3-month old Garner strike.

They must consolidate the independence of the strike committee and demand that their full time officials call out the hotel workers in the same branch.

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