BRENDA DEAN, leader of the print union SOGAT is to ballot the sacked News International printworkers over Rupert Murdoch's final' settlement of the Wapping dispute. workers have been on strike for 18 weeks demanding workers.
Murdoch's offer centres on a £50 million payout of the workforce and the 'gift' of the Times old printing premises. This is Comodason with the derisory £15 million which had previously offered and only of the Times Grays Inn Road buildings.
This foremost admirer of Maggie Thatcher has cynically suggested these old premises clapped out presses be used to print a Labour rally paper Unity Trust, the trade union bank involved in discussions over such a paper, has valued the freehold at a mere £l million.
Despite the character of the offer, the SOGAT leadership has refused to reject it. Moreover, Norman Willis. TUC general secretary, was fully involv ed in the secret negotiaTions water manne eu vul the offer. From the beginWills has relused to appeal to the trade union movement to mobilise in support of the demands of reinstatement Five and a half thousand recognition.
Willis and Dean hope ballot the printworkers will be baboozled into casting a vote. They bank the pressure of the media and ine serves strikers that there is no olner alternalive lo accepting Murdoch's offer.
This is what is so important about the London branches insistence on a workplace where workers can decide collecuvely wich course ul altion to take. Only in such a context can workers really feel their collective strength. it was through such a worknlace ballot that thev had decided to strike in the first place.
The planned mass meeting will play the same role. such adhered to, all the indica tions are that a majority and contiue the fight.
Such clearly right. Norman Willis is of the opinion that the trebling of Murdochs previous 'final' fer was the result of his negotiating skills. Nothing could be further from the truth. Murdoch is more more Teellng pressure of the mass action clear that Dean's tactic of boycott of the News International titles has failed. But the upturn in mass picketing in recent weeks organised against the wishes of Dean and Co has begun to bite.
The regular demonstrations to Wapping have become a focus for the whole movement and a symbol of workers determination. They have resulted I in the demoralisaLIOT of Murdoch's scab workforce, even if they Have lul yet managed to prevent the titles getting out. But even this objective getting more realiable.
In addition, the net is tightening around the wholesale distribution cendown the country. This is causing Murdoch major head. acnes. Il Is because or le success of the actions against Murdoch that he has upped his offer.
DUL. ot coulse. the printers cannot win alone. They need the active supFor the rest or te labour movement. that we will be in a much better position to make the LDC responsible to us in struggle than we have been able to do with Dean and company.
The sell-out deal must be rejected. With the help of the rest of the labour movement we can Sun and News of the World Deputy BRENDA's attempt to do a Pontius Pilot on us Fi she has (mis)led this dispute. Refusing to make a recommendation means handing it to the media to influence Insisting on a secret ballot is to copy Murdoch. The forms should be available at the mass meeting and we should fill them out together.
What Dean and Willis are saying by refusing to reject this deal is that you're better off to be a scab. The scabs have got a job and all we've go with Murdoch's measly offer is the money we've
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reinstatment and union recognition at the Wapping plant. This latest offer refuses both demands. It has been angrily rejected by the rank and file print-