Scotts restart Doncaster picketing

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"The Laurence Scott workers have given the finest example in the land of fighting for jobs. The reason we have had to struggle on for seven months is because of the people who have dragged us back:. the right wing leaders of our trade unions. What an experience. It's like being kissed on both cheeks by the Mafia."

With these words Convenor Dennis Barry introduced the Laurence Scott Solidarity Conference in Manchester on Saturday.

He sounded an important theme that ran right through the day: the role played by the trade union leaders as a group in confusing and holding back genuine attempts by workers to struggle against the employers backed by the Tory government.

As Bernard Connolly (BSC South Yorks Craft EETPU) later commented: 66 ... our leaders are inadequate, inept, and in league."

The AUEW executive's view on union democracy were encapsulated said Dennis Barry, in Terry Duffy's statement to one of the LSE stewards when the strikers sat in at the union headquarters in Peckham Road:

"Listen, boy, I'll tell you what democracy is... doing exactly what I tell you."

Encouraging

Whilst the strikers will continue to prosecute their fight within the union machine they now see that if the dispute is to be carried forward it is essential to take it into the lair of Mining Supplies boss Arthur Snipe in Doncaster.

The Joint Shop Stewards Committee decided last week to reimpose picketing.

They are calling on all trade unionists to join them, particularly for mass pickets every Monday, and are intensifying pressure for blacking of all Mining Supplies products.

An encouraging sign of changing times was the presence on the platform of three local Labour Party MPs and local party leader Graham Stringer. (There were however all too few constituency activists present).

Charles Morris pointed out the growing pressures to fight for jobs.

Unemployment in Greater Manchester had soared from 90,000 in July 1979 to 163,000 in July 1981.

He raised the question of breach of Civil Aviation Authority regulations by the helicopters which had snatched submarine motors from the Openshaw plant and deplored the role of the bailiffs who heavily armed, evicted the workers from the plant in the dead of night last August.

Whilst Morris has played a valuable role in publicising the dispute he obviously hasn't any strategy for winning this or similar struggles apart from "injustice propaganda" and parliamentary pressure, both likely to be ineffectual.

A more realistic note was sounded by Ken Eastham:

"The Tories openly scoff when we take up unemployment in the House. The only way to take on the Tories is in the street and in the factory."

This was echoed by Michael Meacher: 'We can't wait 2½ years for the next be successful. It was successful at Gardners and it will be here. The political wing and the industrial wing must stick together."

Meacher went on underline the collusion the police: "We talk about political control of the police, but there is political control of the police: it is exercised in the interests of the employer."

Playwright Jim Allen stressed the unity of fighting both in the unions and in the party. If Labour lose the next election then it can be laid at the door of the Foots, Hattersleys and Healeys who refuse to take up the struggle against the Tories now.

Scotts steward Steve Longshaw pointed up the role of Arthur Scargill: "He doesn't like to be reminded of Saltley Gates which more than anything made his reputation," said Steve. "The Engineers helped the miners there: will the miners help the Engineers at Scotts?"

The conference represented a step forward. It enabled the Scotts workers to recharge their batteries, regroup and relaunch their The Scotts dispute has reached a crisis point. It is now time to test the fine words and arguments in action on the picket lines, in the factories, the pits and the docks to combat the employer, sectionalism, the police and the Employment Act.

We must fight for a complete boycott of all Mining Supplies products, thus bringing Snipe to his knees. Akers

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