Health workers back victimised

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GMWU hospital workers in Basingstoke have been on the gates

YOU MIGHT think that health workers would be busy enough with their own dispute at the moment - but in Basingstoke they are taking the lead in urging support for Keith Maynard, victimised 'boilermakers' convenor at the Bagnalls fork lift truck factory. And they're doing better than the union leaders at Keith's own factory.

Keith was reporting back from a meeting to some of his members last Wednesday when a foreman told him to return to work. Brushing the man's arm off his shoulder was enough for management to dismiss Keith for assaulting a foreman' The day shift immediately walked out and were followed by the night shift. By Thursday morning, the other union leaders had acted to stop the support for Keith going any further.

Keith is the one remaining leading militant in the factory not yet to have been removed by management victimisation. Peter Taylor, the AUEW convenor at the plant, keeps a cosy relation with Pat Farrelly (ex AUEW official, Communist Party member, and currently Bagnalls personnel manager).

On Friday morning, Keith and local Socialist Organiser supporters put out a leaflet at the factory gate, urging the workers to stop work and come to a mass meeting outside the factory. AUEW members flocked out, but the boilermakers' deputy convenor urged them to keep at their work.

Faced with the sight of Keith not even being supported by his own men, the AUEW members soon went back into the factory. Meanwhile the Boilermakers' full time official appeared at the mass meeting, agreed with everyone, and arranged a meeting with management on the 13th. A meeting of the boilermakers decided to leave any further action workers' rally in June. Last Monday, the health workers sent a delegation to leatlet the factory gate, urging support for Keith.

Their leaflet told Bagnalls workers how immediate all-out action at the hospital had resulted in the reinstatement of the victimised T&G convenor there within 24 hours.

settles THE nine and a half week strike at Glendale Engineering, North-West London, has ended with a partial victory for the strikers.

After negotiations on Wednesday September 1, management conceded union recognition. Unfortunately we were unable to win reinstatement of two members.

This victory was not won by accepting the balance of forces at the factory gate, but by going out and appealing for physical support from the labour movement in the shape of blacking, and must of action towards September 22.

But if the unions at Begnalls cannot stand together, and allow management to pick off workers one by one, What chance do they stand in the future pay and conditions disputes and fights against mass redundancy? by consistently ignoring dictates of Prior's Law the mass pickets.

Our thanks for this victory go especially to trade unionists in Glynwed Foundries, Telford, and Osmers, Hayes, whose threats of blacking were decisive, to Brent Trades Council, Brent Labour Parties, and Brent construction coop, who were so effective on the picket lines; and to Socialist Organiser for the coverage in the paper and general help. endale the on