NOW PAISLEY FIGHT PASSES TO MILL

NOT ALLOWED TO DISCUSS WAGE-CUTS —BY ORDER OF THE OFFICIALS AT a recent conference of hosiery workers in Notting- . _ ham the question of the wage cuts imposed by the employers during the last few months was not allowed to appear on the agenda—by decision of the National Union of Hosiery Workers executive. .

FLOOR

A CIRCULAR from the management awaited each worker returning to the mills of J. and P. Coats, Paisley, following the strike of five and a half weeks, Claiming that the stoppage had gained the Workers nothing, the circular denied the points of agreement on which officials of the National Union of Dyers, Bleachers and Textile Workers had recommended a return to work.

Though conceding that certain trade union procedure would oC be recognized it made clear that this may not be permanent.

While letting the union’s work study officer examine the disputed work load, the employers would not necessarily take

his. findings into account. The threat of disciplinary: action against, operators failing to complete the new work loads: was not. definitely removed.

According to union officials, this. is contrary to assurances received through the Ministry: of Labour conciliation officer.

It must be assumed therefore that. the employers once. again tried.the double-talk game to break the strike—and succeeded. They had tried it earlier during the strike, and managed to delay for. about two. weeks attempts to extend support for the Joe The fight. now passes to the ‘mill floor. The success. or failure of the management’s threats depends on how quickly the workers’. organization can be built inside the mills.

The workers have shown that they are ‘prepared to fight and will not easily be intimidated. .The weakness lay in the.large number. of..non-trade. unionists and the lack of support from the maintenance -men... This can: be changed.

A branch of the Socialist Labour League is ‘being. formed in Paisley, and will give every possible help to the millworkers in their preparations for the next, struggle.

FOOTNOTE. Paisley Labour’ Party has expelled the wife of a local Labour councillor for‘ failing to be a member of her trade union and continuing to work in the mills during the strike::

Juty 11, 1959 meeting opposed a motion from the floor that the trades council should sponsor a meeting of solidarity called by the suspended Norwood Labour Party in aid of the printworkers.

‘We don’t want to get into difficulties with the TUC by supporting unofficial meetings,’ Davis said. He was vigorously opposed by Jeff Farquhar, the trades council’s secretary.

‘They need our support’

‘It’s nothing but a witch-hunt,’ Farquhar told the meeting. A. well-known militant meat driver, Farquhar himself was witch-hunted after the last Smithfield meat strike when he and another steward were ‘named’ by a stooge tribunal as ‘troublemakers and agitators’ and were attacked by the Press.

‘The printing workers need the support of the Labour and trade union movement,’ Farquhar said.

‘It is our duty to rally to their side and it doesn’t matter one bit who calls a meeting in their aid. .

‘All we are called upon to decide is whether the meeting is to aid the printing workers, and as it is, we should be there. Furthermore, this trades council doesn’t take its orders from the Labour Party leadership.’

However, Davis succeeded in confusing the meeting, and his amendment that the trades council call its own meeting—at the same time and place as that planned by Norwood—was carried.