them, lost Icaucisilip higher paid skilled TWO court decision handed down last week are even more stunning in their legal implications for the union movement than Stockport Messenger dispute.
The NUJ for five years has had an official dispute with the firm of Bailey Foreman in Nottingham. This followed the sack of 28 NUJ members and their replacement with non-union journalists.
T Bailey Foreman has same premises, address, telephone number • director as the firm of TBF Printers. It is a purely legal seperation which exists in dozens of printer/publishers.
But tne rign court — under Sir John Donaldson - has ruled that T Bailey Foreman TBF Printers are 'seperate legal entities'. Therefore any action the NUJ takes against TBF Printers in its dispute with Bailey Foreman is illegal.
The legal implications of this are simply staggering. For legal, tax and accounting reasons numerable companies divide themselves • u• IllU many legally separate Irms. Others frequently change their legal status.
Under the court ruling even workers in the same factory can be acting illegally they strike together. For they will be acting against different "separate legal entities'.
The same situation is created by the well publicised court decision against SOGAT 82. The union has been ordered tc stop the action being taken by its members in three British Printing and Com munication Corporation plants. i nis was laken solidarity with SOGAT members at another plant in the same company. The action was ruled illegal despite the fact that all the ting the same magazine -the Radio Times The ruling against SOGAT makes solidarity action even the same company illegal.
The aim of these court decisions is clear. Thatcher has often expressed her admiration for the Japanese 'company system where a union is not allowed to organise outside its own firm. With solidarity both impractica legal the Japanese rule the roost clovel. unhindered.
Donaldson the court taking their orders on high.
Socialist Action 16 December 1983