EMERY reports.
It's now nearly three months since fifty Asian workers were sacked at the small injection moulding застототкение dasacs at Feltham, West London. It has been three months in which the majority of the workforce has continued to work. Scab workers, supplied principally by the agency, Olympic Staff, have been keeping thing, going in the moulding section.
The sacked workers, members of the AEU, had their dispute made official just two weeks ago. That delay has been a biller blow: lorry drivers and FIFTY BLACK workers have been on strike against their sacking at Kenure plasties in West London for over three months. The dispute is a symbol of what is taking place in British industry today. LEWIS others have found it ready excuse for the picket line and official channels for gaining support have remained largely closed off.
The tragedy is that none of the sacked workers joined the union until after they were dismissed. The AEU, like many OLIC hesitated to grant officia under these slalun wul" cumstances. Yet there are thousands of facItaly tories like Kenure Plastics.
The pressures against organisation greater now than at any time since the 1930s.
Kenure Plastics is part of a the labour movement has learn How lalt What led to the sackings? Kenure is typical of the more exploitative secLOTS of British manufac turing industry. workforce black male workers, black and white women, are trapped in the low pay/long nours syn drome. Basic rates in the molding section were Just £2.33 per hour. Sixty hours a week and more was no exception. Unity Previous efforts at unionisation had failed in general atmosphere fear, patronage. In May 1986, affairs Ins sorry stale Ur came to an end. Unity out among the workforce. In a defiant gesture the moulding section (totally male, Asian section) rejected a pay of them on just 2a50 an hour. Following this, over just £2.50 time was refused.
Yet with an arrogance typical him, the boss issued his ultimatum: You must all sign contracts promising to work shifts Dismissal follows a refusal like night follows day.
More support for the victimised workers has come and gone yet • little practical progress has far been made boycotting Kenure products halting material supplies, especially of bulk plastic granules Noryl Oroglann and ABN® The newly elected left council Hounslow, and in particular the deputy leader Dave Wetzel, (formerly of the GLC) has helped pile on moral pressure. Councillors themselves have donated hundreds of pounds to the support fund, not to mention Port-a-loo.
Support Unit have helped with organisational pro More black activists, including Black Section SUDOUILCLS have strengthened their links with the sacked workers. •Needed More support urgently needed Industrial tribunal dates are set for early September, but the granting of officia status by the AEU must be seized on and the oppor tunity to win this dispute underlined. Kenure Plast aser.
ACTION CONGRESS EAKN NUM calls on the TUC for campaign on South Africa La to the evil ecert with ti