Textile machine may sit in
1972Alex Mitchell Read the scan at ETOL (PDF) →Read from the scan by machine and not corrected: headlines and words can be misread, and a caption or advert can run into the text. For anything you quote, read the scan.
Sons faces bitter opposition to the sudden decision to close down its Oldham-based plant throwing 670 workers onto the dole.
Yesterday G. E. Buckley the company's managing director, published a letter in which he seeks to defend his decision.
The closure was not a 'hastily prepared exercise', ', he says. It was the result of careful planning in a highly specialized market subject to severe fluctuations.
He 'totally rejected' allegations non-consultation with the unions.
And he added: 'In the light of the current trading situation we can conceive of no possible grounds for an approach to government sources to secure temporary assistance.' There was no possible alternative to the one already announced, he concluded.
Scragg's has been in a running battle with the unions and Oldham Labour MP Michael Meacher since the shut down was announced.
Meacher sent a letter to the Tory Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, John Davies, complaining about the decision to shut Scragg subsidiary William Bodden and Sons (1959) Ltd in September.
He pointed out that Oldham would face the worst unemployment since the war and the effect on the town's economy would be 'disastrous'.
'The Times' said yesterday that the 'continuing shake-out of labour in the cotton and allied textile industry of Lancashire stems from a fundamental change now in progress in the structure of the man-made fibres industry.' During the North-West engineering pay battle, Scragg's was the company that settled at an amount above that being dictated by the local Engineering Employers' Federation. For their pains they were expelled from the Federation.
Dissatisfied with the company's interpretation of its own finances - interim profits are £118,000 compared with flm for the previous year--the work force is in no mood to accept the boardroom decision easily.
Already there has been discussion of a sit-down strike or occupation. Make the Tories resign MANCHESTER FRIDAY AUGUST 7.30 p.m.
Milton Hall Deansgate Speakers:
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ALAN STANLEY (V Ellesmere Port sho Both m a person HULL MONDAY AUGUST 7.30 p.m.
Co-op Hall, Kingston Square, opp New Theatre Speakers:
G. HEALY (SLL LARRY CAVANAGH (Liver dock worker)
JOHN NOLAN (T& GWU venor, Hollis Brothers) Both in a personal capac CIRCULATION 01-622 NEWS DESK 01-720 2000 Ixhall steward)
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