Inquiry call a step forwards at Scotts

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Workers at Barnes Flexible packaging, in North Manchester, have been occupying since August 28 to save 236 jobs. Donations and messages of support to. Len Hughes; 163 Argyle St, Heywood, Lancashire. by John Mollroy Hibbert.

TUESDAY 29th September represented a small but important step forward for the Laurence Scott strikers, now 28 weeks into the fight to keep their factory open.

This evening the Manchester North District Committee unanimously supported a resolution demanding the establishment of a Labour Movement Inquiry into the affairs of Laurence Scott and related companies.

Discussions

After discussions between ourselves, Laurence Scott convenor Dennis Barry and District Secretary Duggie Daniels, the resolution from Manchester 15 AUEW was moved at the District Committee by Brother Daniels.

Divisional Organiser John Tocher told us, "I fully support the resolution."

Dave Douglass, NUM Delegate, Hatfield Main Colliery, told us "I'll be backing this to the hilt". Dave is now taking the resolution as a first step to the Doncaster Area NUM -committee, which represents ten pits.

Important

It is certainly important that this initiative should be taken forward as a means of strengthening the struggle icial without placing the at Scotts. We urge all trade union and Labour Party activists to raise it in their wards, branches and For rejection.

committees.

In itself, however, this course, have rejected it. demand is insufficient.

The view of the Scotts stewards is that the Final Appeal Court on October 12th will find that Boyd, Duffy, and datin outie were TAne AUEW constitution in main plant. making the dispute unoff- eting in Doncaster is vital. This reimposition of pickIn our view, even a token settlement before the Man- presence there now could chester North District put the question to the Committee for acceptance workers there and in the mines and docks and proThe committee would, of vide the start of a fightThey feel that such an back.

Despite the difficulties overturning of the Executhe Scotts workers would tive will provide the means face, we think this effort for renewed support and the reimposition of picket- would be worthwhile. ing on Mining Supplies Meanwhile Gardiners' Doncaster, Arthur Snipe's convenor ' Tommy McAfee told us "I agree with the philosophy underpinning the demand for a Labour Movement inquiry and I now propose to take it up at the Confed.

«We have of course our own problems once more at Gardiners and what affects the Laurence Scott workers affects us.

«The closer the links between all of us who are fighting redundancy the better the chances we all AT LAST the Liverpool typists, out on strike for the past four months, have won solidarity strike action from three sections of Liverpool NALGO. Five sections were balloted last Wednesday and three are now on official strike with the other two being held in reserve in the meantime.

This mèans no rent or rates are being collected in Liverpool.

The strike action is a boost to the typists but money is short. Many are the sole breadwinners in the families and strike pay of £20 a week doesn't go far. Donations etc.

c/o NALGO branch. Duchy Chambers, 24 Sir Thomas Street, Liverpool I.:* have of Thatcher over."

giving Margaret good going CORRECTION Dennis Barry would like to dissociate himself from any implication or insinuation in last week's Socialist Organiser report that the stewards at GEC Openshaw have not from the outset given the fullest moral and financial support to the Laurence Scotts dispute.

Advertisement RECENT revelations in the press have established a disturbing set of circumstances surrounding the financial affairs of Laurence Scott and Electromotors and the companies to which it is linked.

In particular, it is alleged that two directors of a Laurence Scott subsidiary PPD- Engineering, conspired with prominent merchant bankers Hambro's to take over another company for personal gain to the detriment of Laurence Scotts as they allegedly utilised their dual position to seduce PPD customers and workers to provide orders and staff for the advancement of their own company.

Not only did these activities potentially provide an opportunity for Arthur Snipe through a "dawn raid" and other similar methods to purchase a company for one tird of its market price.

It is further alleged that the activities of the PPD directors were also financed Industrial Investments, a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Coal Board's Pension Fund.

Moreover, throughout the present LSE dispute it has been convincingly argued that the employers applied to the government's Temporary Employment Subsidy in the full knowledge that a date had already been established for the closure of the Openshaw factory, and that the subsidy was simply a weapon in the hands of Arthur Snipe allowing a satisfactory timing to the redundancy which would provide the smallest opportunity for a fightback by the workers.

These type of machinations are nothing new.

LEAGUE Behind closed doors for private profit the livelihood of thousands of workers are gambled for private gain, whilst the sweat of thousands more are used to finance the operation. In this situation, 650 workers have been made redundant by Laurence Scotts at Manchester, now 400 more workers have been thrown on the dole queues.

We therefore call for the establishment of a Labour Movement Enquiry into the affairs of Laurence Scotts and related companies, its relationship with the National Coal Board and its use of the state TES.

Such an Enquiry could consist of representatives of the Laurence Scott workers, the Manchester North AUEW District Committee, the National Union of Mineworkers and relevant Labour Party MPs.

Co-opt

It could co-opt relevant experts committed to the interests of the labour movement, and it would investigate in particular:

1) The use of pension funds in tying workers to the employers' interests and throwing their brothers and sisters onto the dole queue.

2) The use of state subsidies as a tactic used by the employer in redundancy struggles and the conditions attached to these handouts.

3) The dealings of LSE as an important supplier to nationalised industry and the possibility for such suppliers to be brought into public ownership by the next Labour government.

We call upon all labour movement bodies to take the call for such an enquiry into their representative bodies.

RALLY: 'Bring down the Tories! Fight for a workers' government! Build a revolutionary leadership!' Saturday October 10, from 10am at Digbeth Halls, Digheth, Birmingham 10am-noon and 1-2.30:workshops. 2.30: rally session, with speakers including a representative from Solidarnosc, a Trotskyist just back from Poland, Dennis Barry (Laurence Scotts), Tickets £1 (50p unwaged). Transport available from most areas, More details: WSL, PO Box 135. London N1 ODD.

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Solidarit for typists