Pickets stay firm

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Timex developed industrial perspectives of its own.

However there are now. some signs that things are beginning to stir. In a series of clections over the last few: years, Socialist Organiser supporter Sue Lister, a women's issues campaigner s well-known anti-cuts •and demonstrated that there is constituency for left politics.

• In the most recent election -for one of the National seats on the NEC - Sue shocked the right wing by coming third with over 1,300 votes - only 800 behind the winning right wing candidate, and easily outstripping a less resolute 'left' candidate. This strong support - counted on a show of hands at branch meetings - is a sign that there is room for a principled left wing alternative in the union.

A recent meeting in Birmingham attended by 50 activists from around the country, agreed to launch a new Broad Left.

This organisation will hold a rally at the conference and will then move to its own founding conference in July.

This is the most serious challenge to the bureaucracy to emerge in the union for some years. and carried by Patrick Jenkin in the 'sacker's charter' of 1981; for his delaying tactics when it came to making occupations against cuts and closures official; and for his scandalous light against COHSE affiliating to the National Abortion Campaign, despite a conference decision to do so.

But mostly he will be remembered for his conscious sellout and bungling of the NHS dispute last year. Even Norman Fowler has now paid tribute to him, sand with good • reason. Without Spanswick's help Fowler could well have lost the fight against the health workers.

Albert Spanswick had decided to retire early. No doubt there was a peerage planned to fall his way. Now he will never enter the House of Lords. Unfortunately there is no shortage of candidates to take his place.

He lacked the flair and sophistication of Clive Jenkins, Len Murray, or Rodney Bickerstaffe, and was prone to make absolutely clearcut statements revealing the collaboration going on outside the official negotiations.

At CORSD conference 1981, faced with rank and file criticism of the leadership's record Iosnna •aCROn Spanswick responded with a plaintive plea to the membership to stop picking on him. "I am being persecuted" , he Twenty-one Asian workers at Aire Valley Yarns, near Bradford. have been on strike for seven weeks demanding union recognition. They were dismissed when Liaquat Ali signed them up inte the textile section of the TGWZ. The union has made the strike official.

Last week the police stepped up their harassment of strikers with the arrival of the Police Task Force (Yorkshire's equivalent of the SPG), resulting in one arrest.

Peter Booth, the union fulltime official, has already been dragged before a judge to give assurances that there will be no secondary picketing.

The workers, however, have ensured that yarn processed at the factory has not been handled by other plants.

Mr Ali said that the strike would continue until they win union recognition as morale was high and support encouraging.

The workers are planning a whole week of mass picketing. Union officials have so far prevented these from taking place but with the intensification of activity by the Police Task Force, they now have no option but to step up the picketing.

Leeds Trades Council has already donated £100 to the strikers and Councillor Barry Turner won the backing of Bradford Labour Group for a resolution of support and calling for a delegation of councillors to support the picket line. The resolution will be put to the next meeting of full council.

Messages/donations to L. Ali, 34 Dirkhill Street, Bradford 7, West Yorkshire.

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