Well over a hundred trade unionists attended a meeting in London last Thursday, 14 June, called by the Joint Sites Committee to launch a committee in defence of picketing.
The meeting had been prepared by several days" intensive leafletting, and site meetines addressed by Dave Jackson of the Shrewsbury 24 Defence. Committee, Jackson also spoke on Thursday night, along with Jim Kemp of the Joint Sites Committee, It was emphasised that the first task of the new committee in defence of picketing would he to mobilise in support of the Shrewsbury 24 - particularly on 26 June. when seven of them will appear at Mold Crown Court. Fifty-one pounds for the Shrewshury Workers" Defence. Fund was collected at the meeting. and it was agreed to cucuste slide union bodies t ondon inviting them to affiliate to the committee (cost of affiliation is E5. which should be sent to Jim Kemp, S1 The Avenue, London, N.W.6). SERIES OF ACTIVITIES The London meeting was only one of a whole series of activities throughout the country organised around the latest appearance of che Shrewshury 24 in court last Friday, 15 June. when they were committed for trial in Shrewsbury on a date yet to be specified. Three hundred people, mainly trade union delegites from all the major centres, demonstrated outside the court as the men were told that the prosecution intended to produce 250 witnesses and that the trial could last tor as long as live months.
But the main efforts were not concentrated in Shrewsbury on this occision; the Defence Committee had decided to call for a token picket only in Shrewsbury, and to concentrate on a local 'day of explanation and agitation' aimed at broadening the base of support for the campaign. In most places this cant systematic activity of a fairly low level but very necessiry kind - leafletting, open air meetings, ete. But in some places, where steps in winning broad trade union support are already more advanced, it was possible to take. more ambitious action.
In South Shicids, for instance, over 20 members of the local Trade Urion Comteil took part in a picket of the local police station. Those taking part included members of the T&GWU, GWU, ATTI, TSSA, ALEW, ETU, TASS and other unions. The significance of the Dave Jackson at the meering called by the London Joint Sizer Commiree.
picket was highlighted with the appearance of a pulice photographer in plain clotbes, P.C. Jim Maughan, who clicked away happily for half an hour before going back into the station.
Senior police officers refused to see a delegation from the Trade Union Council to discuss the matter; as Durham police chief Arthur Puckering commented to the local paper: "the police probably wanted a record of those who took part in the demonstration. The point of the picker could hardly have hean more forcibly made, FURTHER PLANS Apart from the mass mobilisation next Tuesday, further plans are being made by iocal activists to raise the issue in the labour movement. In Colchester, for instance, where there is no real tradition of militancy, an Action Committee already exists which includes shop stewards from some of the main factories in the area -Woods, Colchester Lathes, and Nig Banda. And in Yorkshire the Sheffield & Rotberham Com mittee for the Defence of the Shrewshury 24 is organising a conference on repression with major trade union speakers for 14 July in the Sheffield City Hall. This is alrendy winning considerable support from the local labour stove ment and shows what can be achieved by taking initiatives independently of the trude union bureaucracy.
MARTIN METEYARD Red Weekly 22 June 1973 Page 3
be counting on a big wave of new investment. This is clearly their strategy. As they comment in regard to taxation policy: Labour will go back to a system which favours the retention of company profits for reinvestment in plant and machinery, and not their distribution into the pockets of shareholders. competitors into line through super efficiency and whirlwind strength.