THE STRIKE against Rupert Murdoch's transfer of the Sun, ill be the largest and most important action so far. Socialist Action asked JOHN LANG, deputy FOC port.
We came out at first for our jobs and to fight against the conditions Murdoch was trying to impose on us. But now Its a much wider issue were at the forefront of fighting union-bashing.
There's no point in us accepting or considering redundancy money. Murdoch might pay us, but the Jobs would go and there would be no union. If the unions are taken out Ban and conditions -conditions down, but the views of a small minority * the Murdochs and Maxwells - will dominate tne media unchecked. Remember it was the print who stopped the hoto up' on cargill - implying he wa making a fascist salute.
For defending our job.
ind union SOGAT '82 ha been sequestrated. Through a change in the law employer dispute with a part of a union can bring a whole national knees. That's the real secondary action which is Times, News of the World and Sunday taking place.
This sequestration incredible. be stopped by the whole movement.
I feel with the attacks from Fleet Street management - not only Murdoch but also Maxwell and now the Express — we need to 'enough is enough. negotiate the unregotiable Instead trying we have to take the bull by horns and fight the whole lot.
We've made a three pronged attack doch • pickets at Wapping and Glasgow flying pickets to hit distribution, ana ine boycolt campalg».
The picket at Wow. oi 1s a lol stronger now only the bi but int Saturday night picket, the weekdays too. This is hitting distribution Every hour's delay at costs Murdoch. After 3-4 hours delay these can only be bringing out waste paper. No one wants a late paper. The fact that Murdoch has to go to a non-union printers Worthing to print on Sunday is a sign that we're having an effect.
On top of that we're sending flying pickets out round the country where we candistribution picketing TNT VuL depots.
Finaly the boycott campaign is having an etfect - particularly in the North.
At the start of the curike we were morgansed. day. we were clerical workers etc. Next day we were faced with a major dispute vur organisation Is a 101 better now than then.
I feel this dispute is only just starting. The miners have taught us a lot about how to organise. One offshoot of their strike into ours, for example, is the important role women are playing.
But we can't win alone or just by our picketing. We need the active support of the rest of Fleet • Streel and the labour movement Its miners wives who have the situation around and give a lead. On the 6 April demonstration Wapping there will be URDOCH * eight coachloads Yorkshire. Miners Frickley colliery are on a fl a week levy for Wapping dispute. Miners wives have moved leaflet newsagents picket distribution outlets Many miners support groups have become print support groups Support from other areas is also encouraging especially from facing their own problems such as teachers We have had a lot of support from the Labour grassrools my own for example, South, sent delegation of councillors to join the picket. But nationally we feel there's a problem.
Although Kinnock has spoken in favour of us, its ironic that Maxwell is still in the party, that the prospective candidate Stevenage is a scab on the Sun, and News International are let into Fulham by-election Cull ferences.
The miners have taught us that only when we stop away will the bosses stop chasing us MONDAY TIMES TIMES
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Times to Wapping is now in its tenth week. Support for the print workers is increasing rapidly. After suc- cessful pickets for the last three weekends, the na- dional demonstration called to Wapping for 6 April
SOGAT Clerical Workers at The Times, and Strike Committee Support Coordinator, for his assessment of how the strike is developing and the need for sup-