Union chief argues against printers’ strike

Press, 14 December 1983, Page 10

Union chief argues against printers’ strike

NZPA-PA London The National Graphical Association yesterday received support from the Trades Union Congress’s employment and organisation committee for its 24hour protest strike after a “stormy” six-hour meeting. But the voting was only 97, and the decision provoked an extraordinary outburst by the congress’s general secretary, Mr Len Murray. He said that the committee had rejected his advice and that he would do his best to have the decision overturned by the next full meeting of the congress’s general council. He said that the committee had no authority to go beyond a previous decision of the general council to support only lawful activities, and that the vote could place the congress in danger.

Immediately after Mr Murray’s statement there followed a moment of drama mixed with farce at the rear of the T.U.C.’s Congress House headquarters. Joe Wade, the N.G.A.’s general secretary, and other leaders of his union left by a back door, evading waiting journalists and two

burly High Court officials who had been waiting at Congress House for more than five hours. The High Court officials and national newspaper lawyers were waiting to serve injunctions on Mr Wade ordering him to stop today’s national print strike.

Earlier a High Court judge had given Mr Wade until 11 a.m. yesterday (N.Z. time) to confirm that he had obeyed the Court order.

The officials followed journalists and television men sprinting round to the back, and tried to halt the N.G.A. car, which ignored everyone and set off at speed. One of the High Court officials was harangued by a spectator and accused of “attempting to steal workers’ money.” He replied:" “I voted Labour,” and later: “I tried to do it in a gentlemanly way.” The T.U.C.’s general coun-. cil will not be able to meet before the start of the strike, which is due to begin today to stop the morning national newspapers. Mr Murray described the meeting as “stormy” and admitted: “We are in an unprecedented situation.”

He said that the associa-

tion was absolutely aware of his view. “I informed them that if the T.U.C. were to give their support in those terms the N.G.A.’s industrial action ...

could well put the T.U.C. itself in jeopardy.

“We know that a mandatory injunction was issued to the N.G.A. this afternoon.

“Taking account of the general council’s decision, the committee’s decision would have extended the T.U.C.’s position in a way which, in my view, was not consistent with the decision taken by the general council.

“I therefore thought it only right to inform the committee of the dangers they might get the T.U.C. into and explained that my primary objective as general secretary must be to protect the T.U.C. and protect the decision that has already been made by the general council. I made that very clear. It was understood.”

Mr Murray was asked whether the committee’s decision had now put the T.U.C. in some danger. “No, because I have removed the T.U.C. from that danger by ensuring, or by doing my best to ensure, that the T.U.C. and the

general council itself is not committed.”

The Rupert Murdochowned group, News International, said that Court orders gained by its subsidiaries yesterday from Mr Justice Otton had specifically required Mr Wade and his national council to give immediate notice that they had issued an instruction for the strike call to be withdrawn. This instruction had to be put in writing to the Press Association, the national news agency, by 10 p.m. (11 a.m., N.Z. time). By yesterday morning all national newspapers, apart from the Daily Mirror group, had gained injunctions — and several provincial newspaper groups were expected to go to the courts today.

The union now also faces damages claims from national newspapers owners totalling £3 million ($6.7 million) for the last Fleet Street stoppage over the “Stockport Messenger” dispute — and could face many more if today’s strike goes ahead. Earlier the Employment Secretary, Mr Tom King, refused to intervene in the crisis but called on the N.G.A. to halt its action.