No 180 THE STRUGGLE between the National Union of Seamen and P&O is vital for the entire trade union movement. It is a dispute as important as Wapping or at GCHO - an attempt to break an entire trade union.
It also shows the full viciousness of the Tory anti-union laws with the right they give to an employer, unique in Europe, to dismiss a workforce which "goes on strike - - and their right to withdraw recognition from a union. It is an all-or-bust strategy by P&O to smash the NUS: The sequestration ol the NUS's assets by the courts, and the fine of t150,000, is yet another indication of the union-busting character of the Tory laws, But the response of the NUS membership has been an inspiration to the labour movement. At the time of going to press the NUS membership has brought 80 per cent of British ferry services to a halt The scab serviees which the P&O has put on from Dover are purely cosmetic. The second sailing last Mon day on the Pride of Bruges for example had 50 passengers, excluding the press, On a ship that can carry 1300!
Meanwhile by the beginning of the same week 5000 NUS members were on All P&O ships supplying the North Sea oil rigs have been halted, Liverpool and Ipswich have stopped, ferries to the Isle of Man have been stopped, the channel island services have been halted. The deep sea ships are beginning to come out.
The Financial. Times admitted on Wednesday that P&O could not operate a service on its present strategy. To, operate its rosters P&O has to have. a locally based workforce. And the Dover seafaring community has held out magnificently.
The strike comes as owners have degutted fleet by switching to Tas nience to cut into um rates, and safety, More: of the British merci reflagged in the last around agreements wit This tactic was also around the solidarity NUS in the miners strike. ton of coal was moved in ship by NUS members.
The use of the courts to apply Ton law was seen by P&O as providing t final edge in winning a struggle aga the NUS But thanks to the magnificen solidarity shown by NUS members it has become a dispute that can be von by the labour movement - with an ef feet that would strengthen the entite labour movement.
The response that should come from the TUC to any unions assets be ing seized is to take immediate solidarity action — but we have come to know that nothing will be forthcoming fron that quarter. Norman Willis should be Raning sitarising essions le not proposing concessions to ACAS. What must be done, and is vital, is that other unions supply the solidarity and finance that will allow the strikers and the NUS to keep going and win this dispute.
That is possible and neither thi courts nor P&O are capable of takin! on the British trade union movement.
Winning this dispute would be the most significant victory for years for the trade union movement. Every see tion of the labour movement has as its priority to mobilise in all out support for the seafarers Winning the dispute can turn round the situation for the trade union movement.
Socialist Action
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