‘Staff action anarchy’
Sir, —In reply to C. R. Grant (January 8), neither I, as secretary, nor the trustee bank assessors directed the trustee bank staff to take industrial action. The decision was made at a lengthy stopwork meeting by democratic means and after a secret ballot. I reiterate that failure by some to follow that democratic decision thrusts at the heart of democracy and is, therefore, anarchy. These persons helped management, not themselves or their fellow workers. The just cause of comparable wages will now be more difficult to achieve because of the selfish or misguided actions of those strike-breakers. As Jack London stated, “a strike-breaker is a traitor to God, country, family and class.” It is a practice that when members covered by the General Clerical Award take strike action the secretary and other union staff forfeit their pay, even though they work at the time, co-ordinating the members’ cause. The forfeited pay is donated to charitable organisations. —Yours, etc., L. G. MOREL, Secretary, Canterbury Clerical Workers’ Union. January 8, 1987.
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Press, 10 January 1987, Page 16
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173‘Staff action anarchy’ Press, 10 January 1987, Page 16
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