Ipswich wants the right to work

A THOUSAND workers and their families from a factory which has not had a strike for 21 years staged an unprecedented right - to - work march through the centre of Ipswich, Suffolk, on Saturday.

They were protesting against the closure of Ransomes and Rapier's century-old Waterside Works, announced two weeks ago by Newton Chambers, the Sheffield-based parent company.

Joint Unions Action Committee Secretary David Catting told mass rally in Christchurch Park:

'The average wage in this factory is £24 a week. We're not fighting for high wages. not here to cause trouble. We've called you out to fight for the right to work.

A quarter of Ipswich's 41,000strong male labour force work in engineering and workers fear the shutdown of a major company whose name is virtually synonymous with Ipswich itself will the thin edge of an expanding wedge.

Significantly even the deputy mayor of Ipswich Ald Cyril Skinner, who received a petition from the marchers, is himself an ex-Rapier man.

In the petition the men demanded the 'basic right to work' to support their families. They warned that the factory's closure would have 'incalcuable consequences in an area 'bereft tiesother employment opportuniAlthough the town's jobless figures have dipped marginally during the summer, last winter unemployment paralleled national nemployment paralleled national rationalization in which 400 the crowded pavements evels running : at 3.3 per cent workers lost their jobs and pro- faces among the marche levels running at 3.3 per cent r over 2,000. It has trebled since ductivity was pushed up with the if there was overwhelmin or over 2,000. It has trebled since 966 and risen sharply since the unstinted co-operation of the port it was because ev 1966 and risen sharply since the Tories took office in 1970. 'ories took office in 1970.

The Labour government plan- cent year. The Labour government planod i developing on the basis or worth more to Newton Cham- practically for the first 'new Now the plant is apparently Recession is hitting the ned to make Ipswich 'new town' developing on the basis of London overspıll, but the scheme ondon overspill, but the scheme bers as land than as a going Until now, even the speci was shelved indefinitely by the vas shelved indefinitely by the concern. 'ories. They plan to further rational- bad planning than as a : Tories.

In the first half of the 1960s In the first half of the 1960s ize their manufacture of con- the times. roperty developers moved in, struction machinery, basing proproperty developers moved In, tearing out the old heart of the earing out the old heart of the duction on their Sheffield fac- lengthen, as "to let' and fi own and building multi- tory, sell the Ipswich site for notices mushroom, and town and building multinillion pound complex of more dockside development and, promised boom tails to m million pound complex of more han a dozen office skyscrapers workers claim, use the cash to ize, Ipswich workers ar than a dozen office skyscrapers and a giant shopping precinct. ind a giant shopping precinct. Many of the offices and almost operation.

Many of the offices and almost all the shops have stood empty ill the shops have stood empty for half a decade. or half a decade.

This 'Greyfriars Project' is This 'Greyfriars Project' is downtown Ipswich. The work- support of the three within spitting distance of Ipsvithin spitting distance of Ips- ing class turned out en masse docks leaders threatener wich dock, on paper, due to be vich dock, on paper, due to be to watch friends and relatives arrest. redeveloped in anticipation of a 'edeveloped in anticipation ot a march by. Some of them had Common Market boom. Common Market boom.

It is a tidal port with limited It is a tidal port with limited for more than an hour to give in support of a pay clain space for expansion. Although its ipace for expansion. Although its their support. development may have been levelopment may have been worthwhile in boom times, now don't blame them. They've got local 'Evening Star', it worthwhile in boom times, now that recession has made profit :hat recession has made profit to have somewhere to work. This the first strike for 182 nargins crucial, it is unlikely to won't be the only factory to margins crucial, it is unlikely to survive against competition from close once it gets started.' survive against competition from the all tides Haven ports of he all tides Haven ports of Felixstowe and Harwich. Felixstowe and Harwich. Nevertheless, along with a will be ruined if it closes and left the Christchurch parl Nevertheless, along with a block of derelict Maltings the many of them had 'Save Rapier' ing with the belief tha block of derelict Maltings the Ransomes and Rapier workshops stickers in their windows. Ransomes and Rapier workshops are right in the middle of the are right in the middle of the lockside site the property devel- swung down the main street in alone, halt the closure. dockside site the property developers have their eyes on next. opers have their eyes on next. The Rapier factory, which and 'We don't want to join the and occupation, but thi The Rapier factory, which produces construction machinery, Tory dole queues'. produces construction machinery, made about £360,000 proht last made about £360,000 profit last year after a prolonged period of people many of the shoppers on averting the shutdown. year after a prolonged period of Walsall: Workers fight closure OVER 2,000 trade unionists marched through Walsall, Staffordshire, on Saturday morning against the threatened closure of Tube Investments stainless tubes plant, one of the biggest employers in the town.

At a packed meeting in the town hall afterwards, Labour MP John Stonehouse said he had asked Employment Secretary Maurice Macmillan to visit Walsall to see what he could do.

He said that he intended to take up the fight in the House of Commons where he expected wholehearted support from Labour MPs as well as some of his Tory colleagues.

Convenor Alan Colpitts

-NO-CLOSURE Rapier demonstrators set off from outside the closure-threatened factory trade unions by about 10 per knew that if Rapier dies 1 boost their Izal manufacturing paring to fight.

Saturday's march—-the biggest Rapier's last week, the ever of its kind — galvanized 150 dockers stopped w been waiting in torrential rain man's cigarette factory wil One housewife told me: "I £2.40 a week. According Traders in the quarter imme- marched behind the regior diately adjacent to the factory Tory MPs is clearing fast :

The soaking wet marchers tudes of the three Tories high spirits chanting 'Heath Out' In a borough of 150,000 ment again for further t clared: 'If they want us out, they will have to come for us. Our determination is equal to theirs. We have met the faceless men and know they are hard and ruthless behind the suave exterior.

'We will make UCS look like a tea party,' he continued. 'We will refuse to recognize the closure of TI. There will be no voluntary redundancies.' At this there was a big outburst of applause, but Stonehouse sat quite unmoved.

Don Rose, ASTMS organızer, said full-time officials and their executive would pledge support to keep the factory a viable and profitable commitment, though the crowded pavements knew faces among the marchers and if there was overwhelming supknew that it Rapier dies Ipswich it was because everyone will be next. will be next.

Recession is hitting the town practically for the first time. Until now, even the speculators' ghost-town was viewed mr ghost-town was viewed more as bad planning than as a sign of the times.

As the unfamiliar dole As the unfamiliar dole queues lengthen, as 'to let' and 'for sale' notices mushroom, and as the promised boom fails to materialize, Ipswich workers are preparing to nght.

In addition to the struggle for In addition to the strug Rapiers last week, the port's 150 dockers stopped work in support of the three London docks leaders threatened with Today 850 workers at ( Today 850 workers at Churchman's cigarette factory will strike in support of a pay claim. They rejected a management offer of rejected a management ( £2.40 a week. According to the local 'Evening Star', it will be the first strike for 182 years.

Initial political co Initial political confusion among the Rapier workers who among the Rapier worke marched behind the regions three Tory MPs is clearing fast and few left the Christchurch park meeting with the belief that their march or the paternalisti march or the paternalistic platitudes of the three Tories could, alone, halt the closure.

Already there was talk Already there was talk of UCS and occupation, but this week the stewards will meet 1 the stewards will meet management again for further talks on averting the shutdown.

he did not like that form words.

'Tube Investments made £68m profits last year of which Tne tube division said. 'We will take this fight throughout TI and throughout the country if need be.' The deputy mayor, said that the closure would cost £94,000 in lost rates and in three to four months the community would be back to the 1930s. The government should realize that people matter more than profits.

'This factory will remain a factory; no planning permission will be given for other business,' he said. 6.20 6.40 7.05 7.30 7.55 8.00 9.00 9.20 ENTERTAINING WITH KERR.

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