Ferry staff sit in
Socialist Organiser1981 1981-11-12Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 14 →
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WORKERS on the P&O Liverpool/Belfast ferry are occupying their ships to save the service and their jobs.
They are also calling for supporting action throughout the P&O fleet. A 48hour national strike has been suggested.
The closure of the service is due to take place on Wednesday 11 November: Last weekend. LW U the Wister Queen and the Ulster Prince, WeIe occupied. Officers who are in dispute over redundancy pay joined with the crews. Since then Liverpool/Larne and Fleetwood/Larne services have also been blocked.
Similar action earlier this year won a postponement of the closure. But this time it looks like the showdown.
Speaking to workers in Liverpool last Friday. 6 November, seamen's union general secretary Jim Slater said, "We are capable not only of a national strike, but an international one. We will get support from all our members no matter what company they work for."
Seafarers need to hold him to that promise. sit-in WORKERS at Davy Instruments, Sheffield have occupied their factory to prevent its closure. DI employs about 140 people and is part of the large DavyLoewy Group, which makes equipment for the steel industry. 35 workers have been sitting in round the clock and have received support from Davy-Loewy shop stewards and five South Yorkshire Labour MPs.
AS THE strike by 1,500 production workers at the Rolls Royce plant at Hillington (Glasgow) enters its fourth week, shop stewards' convenor and Communist Party member George MoCormack remorselessly continues to "lead" the strike in the direction of defeat.
The 1,500 direct workers (workers doing work directly related to production)
walked out on 20 October in protest at a 72% speed-up. A week later management announced a lock-out of the other 2,500 shop-floor workers (the office staff are still in work).
McCormack's scandalous role in this affair has consisted of driving a wedge between the direct and indirect workers and thereby helping to isolate the strikers, failing to keep both those on strike and those locked-out informed of what is going on, and raising demands for the strike which not only deprive it of potential support but also pave the way for future job losses.
Particularly when orders