The occupation of the Tillotson's factory in North Liverpool has now moved into its sixth week. The 400 SOGAT workers, a majority of whom are women, are resisting all attempts to pressurise them into settling for less than their original demands.
On 24 April the national union officers pres ented to a chapel meeting a document outlining the basis for an agreement with the management, but it was referred back to the officials by an overwhelming majority. Tillotson's have already been forced to concede the reinstatement of the four sacked chapel officers; but although it was this action which sparked off the occupation, the workers are now holding out for their long term demands on job security.
They insist on further guarantees concerning redundancies, and on the company establishing a clear negotiating procedure, ensuring the nights of the union representatives. Tommy Chute, the sacked Father of the Chapel, is optimiscic about the job sccurity demands, but given the company's recent record on negotiatious is wary of anything less than cust-iron assurances on negotiating rights.
The worker militant and determined fight has exposed completely the company's bluff ahout taking them to the National Industrial Relations Court over 'unfair industrial practice" and Incitement to workers to break their contract of employment, They obviously realised that such action could only stiffen the workers' resistance and further boost the local support they are receiving.
Money is still coming in from other factories and sites despite an almost total blackout in the local press and radio, but the real test will come if the current negotiations collapse and a Tong struggle sets in. In that case not only money would be needed but also practical solidarity actions such as extensive blacking of Tiliotson's products.
Send donations, messages of support to: SOGAT, 254/256 County Road, Liverpool 4 Red Weekly 1 May 1973 Page 3