THE 20-MONTH long dispute at Silentnight is over. held on Monday February decided to end the strike following the decision of the FTAT executive just before Christmas withdraw official backing. Since then the leadership has suppressed the strikers' appeal against the general executive council's decision.
Bitterness and a sense of betrayal at FTAT's ac tions expressed by one of the strike leaders Bennett when he said peel fighting trade union rights for this long time now FTAT won't support They won't have anything to do with us.
The lessons Weill not be ost on he will no strikers. One of them, Ann King, explained that 'we have developed two mottos during the strike. One 'We StIl. have prin ciples" the other is "we won't go away".
'Most of the hard core, the peopie that have been most active in the strike, will take their fight the We have all learnt a lot about what is going on in this country and abroad. We will now be fighting for these people. '