Glassmen fighting a "loathsome' closure

THE DECISION by the Rockware Glas: group to close its Greenford plant in Middlesex wa yesterday described as 'loathsome and disgusting'.

Local MP Bill Molloy told a rally of Rockware workers that only weeks before the company announced its decision to close down in January 1971, the firm was sending careers propaganda to Greenford schoolchildren.

He also said that the firm had asked him to help over a threat to their power supplies. "They wrote to me and asked would I help them with their plans to increase production. Weeks later they announced their decision to close.' But apart from passionate words from Molloy and the other platform speakers, who ranged from a UCS delegate to Bill Freeman, leader of the Briant Colour sit-in, there were no real perspectives put forward for victory at Rockware. The campaign at present is being restricted to putting pressure on the management to change its mind over a decision to sell the factory in a multi-million pound property transaction.

Stan McKnee, a boilermakers' official from said:

•We had at UCS the misfortune of coming into contact with the destroyers of decency, but I am glad to report that we were not contaminated by the contact, he said.

Describing the UCS workin as a victory, he failed to mention that over 2,000 jobs were lost, that contracts which broke trade union principles were signed and that Stalinists James Reid and James Airlie had congratulated the Tory 'destroyers of decency' for their 'economic good sense'.

Arthur Harris, chairman of the Rockware shop stewards' committee, said:

'There is a difference between crooks and robbers who deal in land speculation and those who rob your house. One gets put in jail and the others get the OBE But Rockware workers can only fight on the basis of a political campaign-involving workers throughout the London area and especially those faced with redundancy -to bring the government down.

Labour League Public Meetings SUNDAY FEBRUARY 18, Civic Centre,

Monday