Laurence Scotts must become centre of resistance to closures

Scan page 14

Gardners: reprieved last year, now has 500 jobs at risk Other workers specially there was no possibility of need to support . the keeping the mill open or Laurence Scott strike improving redundancy turn next. At Barnes Flexible PackIn Thatcher's Britain aging in Cheetham Hill, John Lambie from the motivation behind this move resolution by the Tories through the defence of Lothian against STUC also wanted the coun- seemed to be to wish the Vilitant supporters calling Miscellaneous Provisions the Tory attacks. Not one of RESOLUTIONS, messages of support and financial donations for the Laurence Scott strikers are continuing to roll in. The number of AUEW branches and districts supporting the strikers is now approaching the century and the number of Labour MPs. seventy five.

AUEW boss John Boya, fresh from a rather unsatisfactory TUC • has written to Labour Party chief whip Michael C'ocks expressing his concern over the MPs' actions and enclosing copies of Boyd's apologia for a sellout which he has already circulated to 2,600 AUEW branches.

The irony is that Boyd's two-page justification of the executive's action is a damning indictment of his leadership and can only further increase support for the strikers.

Boyd's arguments that the settlement was an honourable one, the best that could be obtained in the circumstances, an agreement which saved jobs in other LSE factories at the expense of Manchester, clearly establishes its author as either determined to drive the strikers into the Labour Exchanges at the first opportunity or as a man who couldn't negotiate his way out of a paper bag.

Most workers who know John Boyd's career will prefer the first explanation.

Howerer. the major motivation behind this move seemed to be to wash the Labour Party's hands of responsibility in the whole affair. At no time except when a Socialist Organiser supporter spoke was there mention of fighting the cuts That had gone through already. which would go through it Younger accepted the ottered £15 million or u hich would result from the because it could be their terms.

everybody'sjob is at risk.

Last week 250 workers at Kay Metzeler's Goyt Mill in Marple, Stockport, occupied their cushion factory after the bosses declared that the site would be closed. The employer's reply was to repeat that owing to the effects of the depression on the car industry, which they ennlv with foam cushions. Tories taking office.

A resolution from Militant supporters calling on the council to rescind the cuts that had been made and stay in office till the council went bankrupt was overwhelmingly defeated Yet despite all this, 5,000 people. from all over Scotland turned out for a march in Edinburgh on Saturday 12 September.

It was a protest against But you, as counciliors, The by a Hall, heard includi Not 40.0 workers are now in their third week of a sit-in which having started on the shaky basis of a struggle for more redundancy pay, now holds the possibility of developing into a genuine fight.

More redundancies are looming at Gardiners Diesel Engine works at Eccles, where management has ackert the unions à for the attack on lo carried out ment democracy by the Tories tl Miscellaneous (Scotland) Act.

Rally

march was followed rally in the Usher here 2,500 people • platform speakers, ig Tony Benn. one of' these speakers what is required if we formal meeting on September 28 and warned that 500 jobs could be at risk.

Groups like the SWP and the IMG lightmindedly hailed the conclusion to 1980's long occupation at Gardiners as a great victory but Socialist Organiser pointed out that an agreement by which the unions presided over the destruction of 300 jobs through voluntary redundancy was no such thing!

We argued that, while gains had been made, the factory remained open and (not even Tony Benn) made any proposals for the defence of Lothian against the Tory attacks. Not one of them spoke about the council resigning, despite the fact that every one of them, except perhaps Benn, has publicly said the council should continue in office to make the cuts.

people of Lothian will be ro the workplace organisation intact with many militants having learned the lessons of struggle, jobs destroyed are jobs destroyed.

We also stressed the need to analyse the agreement as a tactica, truce, involving a reverse and argued the employers would be back for more!

Now Gardiners have been working a two-day week for months and September 28 may unfortunately prove us right.

Earlier in the Laurence Scotts struggle a support committee of local trade unionists was established but it faded away through inertia.

It is time for this committee to be reconvened and transformed into a Manchester Jobs Fight Committee, with delegates from union branches and shop stewards committees. Such a crossindustryd cross-union body provide the focus for a determined drive to unite the various struggles which have erupted and will erupt against the attempt by Thatcher and the capitalists to swell the North West's dole queues.

Meanwhile we would urge all trade union bodies to take up the LSE model resolution - but warn once more: unless the strikers themselves summon up all their energies to reimpose their picket on Mining Supplies as a first step to extending their struggle, all the paper resolutions and five pound notes in the strike fund will not save them from years of standing in line för unemployment benefit.

CAROL HOBBS MODEL RESOLUTION to Boyd ard the strike committee.

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

But you, as councillors, what is required if we are people of Lothian will t novement's stand against STOP

WOR SIT