T& GWU officials send drivers back to work
1972Sarah Hannigan 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.
TRANSPORT drivers have returned to work at Manbré Sugars Ltd, West London, under management proposals banning their union representatives from ever holding office again.
Their representatives, Transport and General Workers' 1/1172 branch secretary Jim Butt (seven years convenor at Manbré), vice-chairman Pat Harrison and shop steward Mike Gash refused point-blank to accept the conditions and were not re-employed.
But they say sav they will con. they will continue their fight for On Wednesday the 70 drivers, who are now employed by Brockelhurst Transport Co as part of an efficiency drive by Manbré, had staged a token stoppage calling for their representatives to be re-employed.
But paid T&GWU officials, district officer Bob Kay and roadtransport group secretary Bill Packer, refused to call an official stoppage and eventually proposed to put the case to their executive committee as one of victimization. The drivers would not agree.
However when it was proposed that the three should be taken back for six months without their union credentials, the drivers voted overwhelmingly to put this to management.
Brockelhurst refused to agree on these •terms and laid down four conditions for the men's re-employment. They must: • Go away • from the firm for four weeks without pay and without 'contacting and intimidating' any of their members. • Never hold trade union office again. • Accept management orders as final. • Their union branch would be the custodians of their behaviour.
Management also wanted them to state their acceptance of these 'conditions' in front of a meeting of all the drivers. All three refused.
The officials then movi and proposed and seconc return to work.
Press,