THE BARBICAN AND Tis T.&G.W.U. from Bill Jones* I hold the view that the advertisements, full-page and nalf, which appeared in some of the national popular newspapers on October 26 over the names of ' leaders of the trade unions with members in the building industry and the building employers, running down their members involved in the Myton building dispute, is contrary to everything the trade union movement has ever stood for. What has become of the understanding, and acceptance, of trade union members and leaders at every level, to keep our internal differences and business within our unions, and to settle them within our unions? What are we doing spending the money of our members - or did the employers pay for our names by meeting the cost - on advertising internel trade union differences in a Press which is doing that every day without having to be paid for it? ‘hat are we doing as signatories to such an advertisement in the national Press which has been baying for so long for stricter Government control of the trade unions? That we should have joined forces in placing these advertisements with employers who haven't exactly got a reputation for being among the best is a disgrace. Did these unions not stop to think of the possible consequences and the penalties which may be incurred by their members who face civil charges arising out of the dispute at the Guildhall on November 2? That my union, with its progressive policies over recent years, was a signatory to these advertisements makes me ashamed, and I want everybody to know it. With these opinions in mind, I congratulate and thank the Morning Star for carrying a counter-advertisement, free of charge, giving the members involved an opportunity to put their side of the story.
*This article appeared as a letter in The Morning Star - Oct. 30. Bill Jones is a member of the Trades Union Congress General Council and vice-president of the T&G.:’.U. London Dockers to Continue Strike. Yesterday at one of the biggest dock meetings in London for years proposals put forward by Frank Cousins, general secretary of the T.&G./7.U., for ending the stoppage were overwhelmingly rejected. Jack Dash told the 5,000 dockers that his committee had considered the Cousins! plan and had unanimously rejected it. He then outlined the committee's own proposals for reaching a settlement and these were accepted with only 18 votes against. The men's main objection is to the "continuity rule" which would allow employers to meve them around from ship to ship without consultation, The employers are refusing to enter into any discussion of modification of this rule until the men return to work which is, of course, an a unacceptable provision. The T.&.G.W.U.'s divisional docks committees for London have now been forced by the militantcy of the dockers to draw up their own demands for changes in the terms of the decasualisation agreement. As in the Barbican dispute, the leadership of the T.&.G.W.U. has been content to sit on one side and negotiate with the employers rather than consult their members. It has been left to the workers themselves to defend their working conditions.