CRAWLEY ENGINEERS ARE 'ONE HUNDRED PER CENT. DETERMINED'

Mass sackings and the issuing of writs against shop stewards Lawton and Kirrage have failed to weaken the fight of the eighty-six strikers at the Universal Pattern Co., Crawley (Sussex).

A statement issued by the strike committee says: 'We are still 100 per cent. determined to defeat these allegations.'

On Saturday, strikers, their wives and families and members of the local trades council demonstrated through the town.

Although it was a bitterly cold day with drizzling rain, about 150 marched behind the maroon, gold and blue banner of the Amalgamated Engineering Union's Croydon district committee.

In the square a public meeting heard speakers from the AEU emphasize the importance of the fight against sackings.

Vic Parker, assistant divisional organizer, said: 'We can assure the members at Universal Pattern's that they will get the full support of the 900,000 members nationally.

'The Universal Pattern workers are fighting for the working class throughout the length and breadth of Britain.'

After the meeting, Alf Pegler, Labour's prospective parliamentary candidate for Horsham, himself an AEU member and chairman of the union's organizing committee, told me:

'The Crawley Labour Party is backing this fight to the hilt.

'We have to think of all the youngsters in this town who will soon be leaving school. If sackings and redundancy continue to grow there will be no future for them.'

Mr. Pegler added: 'The employers must be taught a lesson. What they are trying to do is to put the burden on the working class and we cannot permit that.'

Support continues to grow

I understand that the AEU will be responsible for giving legal help to the two stewards. Now the writs have been served the defendants will have to file their defence before the matter can come before the High Court, where it will be tried before a judge and jury.

A legal spokesman for the firm has stated: 'Without research I would say that this is the first case of this nature for many, many years. I certainly cannot recall a similar case coming before the court.'

Support for the strike continues to grow. Vic Lawton, chairman of the strike committee, told me:

'Men are getting out and around the country to raise cash and explain our fight. Besides London and the Midlands' speakers are putting our case in South Wales.

'On Tuesday the AEU executive council have another meeting and our case will be discussed then. In fact we expect it will be on top of the agenda.'