last Friday. Stewards after management conceded their reinstatement and lessons it holds What were conditions like at the yard before the At Hi-Fab we produce oil rigs. The one we were working on is a TLP, tension leg platform, for Conoco. There were many problems on this job because of steel and bad design. quality foreign This meant that the job had to be re-repaired.
To do this the workforce has had to work in very poor conditions. For example, the welders have had WORK temperatures of up to 150 We asked for showers, free orange-juice and cooling shelters. These were to help the workforce to cope with the extreme heat. You must remember that if you are working in 150 degrees can only withstand the heat for a very short time and you need to cool down gradually. The management conceded these.
But when we arrived back at the yard after the holidays the management withdrawing some of the facilities we had. These inrecommended acceptance RAB WILSON, the convenor at the yard, spoke cheer In the juice, negotiation. In the same way as washing-up dispute at Cowley just ignore the established procedures We the that unless tion. At LOOK those they had withdrawn.
That is changing conditions without negotiation.
What did the management do to try to get you back to work?
The management did not seem to be too concerned about the strike. A week later letters were sent out by the management signed by the managing director accusing the workforce of inefficiency timekeeping.
The management also offered 1630 jobs to the worktorce (ot 2000 +) they went to of the seven local Job Centres to sign a company document Justing 2A terms of employment' Many of the workforce have commitments like Families to look mortgage, after so thev had a jot of pressure on them to go back. The said 483 went to the Job Centres but we think it was nearer 100.
The management sent oul anower leller sayug 11 you want your job at the vard sign the document SLal - WOLN We had a picket of six peone and over one thousand others were there as 'observers' When buses arrived they stopped at the beginning of the line which stretched for three miles from the main gate. Only 43 were prepared to run the gauntlet and tried to get into work. Most of them turned back but went in. On the second day only three went in.
Our action was very successful and showed the strength of the union to Did you receive the support of your local trades council and of your union • national officials?
The trades council gave us verwhelmin • support oth in solidarity and i cash.
Our national officials were dragging their feet in supporting the members, vere dragging their feet i naking the strike officia mite e decided to lobby mittee lobby our national officials the TUC Congress. We did this to persuade them to make the official and to inform them that the membership had jected the conditions laid down by management.
officials wanted the membership to accept and get back to work. Pais management's was not acceptable, membership insisted that we should go back to work then negotiate the conditions.
The national officials gave us a commitment to go back to Hi-Fab and give them our proposal. At this Rab Wilson meeting the management wanted to stop 90 people getting back, but conceded that the negotiations could take place after the workforce was back on the job.
Our officials fought this reduction of the workforce because would have the safety reps and SLCwarUs union activists not getting their job back. - turning the heat on management How do you see the outcome of the strike?
The workers were prepared fight management using TebWe had restrictions on our picket, we were subject dismissal. We fought the management and lebbit: Law allu wOl We may have to make concessions during the negotiations but the fact that all the workers got their jobs The deliberately tried to get rid of the shoo stewards anc the activists. It is possible that this was the start of a Conoco job will until March '84 but may not get orders after that. doesn't change the fact that this time we won.
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TWO THOUSAND Highland Fabricator strikers claimed a victory over their employers when they voted overwhelmingly to end their five-week strike
full negotiating rights. to Graham Barnetson on the history of the strike
We had a picket of six people and over one thousand 'observers'