CONSTRUCTION OF the Wapping plant began six years ago, in 1980. Between 1981 and the end of '84 there followed intermittant negotiations with the print unions about the new site. During that period Murdoch came nowhere near any agreement about new technology with the unions. That round of negotiations ended and did not begin again until September 1985, only to break down by Xmas. By now Murdoch's real plans for his Wapping site had emerged. Far from using the Wapping plant to print the new Post, projected to start publication in March this year, and only to provide extra facilities there for his other papers, it became clear that the new plant was tooled up for full production of all Murdoch's titles — and it was ready to run without the print unions, on scab labour. The events of the last few Rupert Murdoch has what's going on over days have provided the proof positive. With the collusion of the EEPTU leadership, precipated what will be the biggest print industry dispute in decades. On its outcome depends the future of the print unions, and indeed the labour movement as a whole.
CAROL TURNER looks at EETPU cians union.
LEADER Eric Hammond, by his own admission, has no objection 'in principle' to signing a legally binding no-strike deal with Rupert Murdoch. And a nod has proved as good as a wink to the Australian print boss who brought out issues of all his newspapers at the new Wapping plant last weekend - using scab labour, most of whom are members of the electriThere is no doubt that Murdoch deliberately precipalcu dispute. After the results last week of the NGA and SOGAT ballots on industrial action, he told the unions: 'I say now that all negotiations between SOGAT, the NGA and ourselves on Wapping are ended.
The nod from Hammond and the da Dean is in charge, I think things will be fairly peaceful. I just hope we don't see scenes like we saw in Warrington'.
After talks broke down last Xmas Murdoch gave the Fleet Street unions exeption of the NUJ) sixmonths notice that he intended to terThis current agreement with The NGA responded with what the Financial Times described as 'the ultimate sacrifice: it offered to accept technology title, the London Post, planned to hit the streets this March. Murdoch rejected the offer.
A week before the strike was called, the TUC stepped in. On behalf of all print unions except the EETPU, Norman Willis met a News International team on Sunday 19 January to offer an on union recognition Wapping. The condition for getting the meeting was no disruption to the production at Wapping of the new 24-page completion of facilities at the Wapp plant was all Murdoch was waiting to bring things to a head. Now that got both, that is just what Murdoch done. And electricians' center Hammond has been instrumental in massive redundancies now facing print industry. He has given a g light to Fleet Street's bosses to go a and sack tens of thousands of WULKCIS In December the EETPU po indicated its willingness to sign b on the terms outlined by Murd This brought down on its head the a bined wrath of the TUC and other! unions — but to no avail. Ignorin effect on other unions of signing Hammond reje TUC 'interference' in the form of Willis letter During January meetings of RATPU were reported to be con. ing whether to enter talks with the bally recognition deal at Wapping.".
while, preliminary talks betw supplement of the Sunday Ti which hit the streets on the day thei took place.
The TUC proposals went than any previously made included:
• a 'continuity of production' requirement of an agreement m the need to avoid action which rupts production; • an undertaking to conduct a ballot of members before calling official action provision for ACAS conciliat which could be triggered unilaten and would ultimately be binding; • recognition that technology and working methods be used would necessitate flex working!
Yet again Murdoch's reply was a refusal. He announced that talks Wapping were 'at an end. He wo discuss only working at News Inter tional's other two Fleet Street pla