in the coffin Supporters of the campaign against property speculators Prebble's picket the court last Friday. The judge ruled that all pickets not directly part of a trade union dispute are illegal, no matter how peacePEOPLE VS 9 30 am and 12.30 m2
WEEKLY
TIONAL MARXIST GROUP ful and orderly they may be. So what will happen on Saturday, when supporters of the campaign intend to mount another picket on Prebble's offices at 108/109 Upper Street, Islington, between 14 NOVEMBER 1974 No.76 IF Price 8p Blew months. won rights.
One Labour MP ewsbury pickets. mum wage. living.
E40 claim.
to picket' — that is how one group of lawyers described a ruling of the High Court last Friday.
The Court had decided that the picketing of the property devclopers, Prebbles, by the islinglon Tenants Crusade was 'unlawful" and a 'criminal conspiracy.
What this decision means is that all pickets not directly part of a trade union dispute. no matter how orderly and peaceful, are illegal. The judge bent over backwards to make this clear: There is no such tling in law as unfettered freedom of speech...the right to be on the highway is subject to the laws relating to highways', he said.
In other words we have the freedom to speak our minds and protest as long as no one can dig up a low that makes it illegal. And the ruling class have been digging up those laws with great enthusiasm over the past First, the Shrewshury workers and the trade union movement got kneed in the groin with the 1875 Conspiracy Act and the conspiracy laws. Now working people who try to protest about the rotten conditions of political problems they fuce oulide the workplace have been kicked in the teet!
with another string of laws and precedent:
In case anyone had doubts about the political meaning of this ruling the judge hamunered home the point: "Just because action may not bave been taken aguinst some of these demonstrators, perhaps, for instance, because omes clothed with a legality...
So watch your step next time you plan a demo outside Downing Street ur some other huilding — you'll be acting 'anlawiully" and be part of e "criminal conspiracy", just like the Shrewsbury workers.
And what has the Labour Governent done about this! Nothing at all. It continues to defend every dot and coma of the capitalists laws, even when they are being used to deprive the working class of their most hardArthur Latham calling for the repcal of the 1875 Conspiracy Act and other anti-picket laws. This demand must he taken up by the entire labour movement and must be wedded to the demand for the immediate release of the jailed ShrOnly a massive campaign of action by the labour movement, including all-out strike action, can force Labour to act against these threats, and safeguard the right to picket for all working people ANCILLARY WORKERS in the Portsmouth and district group of hospitals have rejected the claim being made by the joint union negotiating body for a £30 miniInstead they have called for L40 for 35 hours, together with a nil norm threshold in the form of a guaranteed 60p increase for every one per cent rise in the cost of offer.
Ron Pearson, NUPE spokesperson for the branch, explained: 1 suggested E35 for a 35-hour week But the members threw this out and unanimously voted for the Hospital ancillary workers demonstrate outside the Department of Health in London The ancillary workers have also called For Immodiate equal pay, and frec 24hour nursery facilities at all places of work. Where such facilities are not provided then Ley insist & payment ment equal to the charges made by child minders. They recognise that witbout such provisions the ability of the women to achieve can a modicum of equalicy at work is virtually nil.
The workers also want shill abouances to be based on a percentage of the basic rate and the abolition of the orestat arading struchire. They have - has taken up this case, and is called for a delegato conference to dis cuss the pay claim in mid-Norember.
Intent on not letting discussions on HE CO SOIR DECRIES HIRELE between the union leaders and the hospi tal management, Portsmouth NOPE have demanded that all branches be informed of the answer to theit claims immediately. This will atlow it to he fully discussed und permit the membership to mandate delegates attending the conference to discuss acceptance or otberwise of the The clade and the resolution will now he taken to the unofficial regional juint shop stewards committee which meets on 13 November. The stewards ane seeking a regional mandate for their resolution, and want to thrash out a plan of action to ught for the claim and NUPE members in the Brook Hospi tal, London, have also rejected the official E30 claim, They have decided ta push for 235 for 35 hours The shop stewands say that this will now be taken to the NUPE divisional council which meets on 12 November.
The actions of the Portsmouth and Brook workers set the way forward for ancillary workers nationally. The next step is to ensure that the rank and file coordinate their action at both local and national level
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Picketing - 'another nail ISLINCTON:
Inside - 4 page special Yet another nail in the coffin of whatever was left of the right
the occupants of 10 Downing Street or the Soviet Emhassy feel it politic- ally inexpedient to do so, it is quite wrong to argue that such conduct bec-
'£30 IS NOT ENOUGH!' - say hospital workers