Speak up Mr Briginshaw! Did NATSOPA Handle ‘Black’ Ink?

By G. Healy ‘THE Economist’ in its issue of October 10 says that:

< . During this year’s printing strike, there was a period when the stoppage of printing ink workers threatened to stop the daily newspapers’ presses too. But after discussions with Natsopa, to quote the deputy editor of one newspaper:

“the national dailies were able to go on appearing in limited size because ink was being imported from abroad. It was agreed with the union that this solution of a temporary difficulty would be acceptable and the arrangement should be given no publicity in case mischief-making elements tried to interfere with the handling of the ink.” To avoid difficulties and embarrassments, no word was published about the ink imports at the time and letters to editors from knowing outsiders were refused or not ever acknowledged.’

If this is correct, was Mr Briginshaw, the General Secretary of Natsopa, party to an agreement for what The Economist claims to be strike-breaking by importing ink which was ‘black’?

It will be recalled that at the time Mr Briginshaw, hiding: behind the legal position of his union, launched a scurrilous: and lying attack against members of the Socialist Labour League who were exposing this type of activity. In doing this,. Mr Briginshaw was, in our opinion, helping to weaken the struggle of the printworkers.

Will Mr Briginshaw now tell his members whether or not. The Economist is right? If not then surely Mr Briginshaw should have recourse to the courts since Natsopa is mentioned..

The members of the Ink and Roller section of Natsopa, who are at the moment engaged in a stubborn defence of their working conditions will be particularly interested to know what he has to say.

We ask you, Mr Briginshaw, did you or did you not join with the employers in Fleet Street to assist in importing ‘black’ ink as The Economist claims? Was this the real reason why you resorted to an attack on the Socialist Labowr League?

The time has come for you to speak up. Your members are waiting for an answer. (See also The Real Conspiracy p. 292)

LIVERPOOL MEETING:

STORK HOTEL Gerry Healy (Gen. Sec. Secialist Labour League)

186 Clapham High Street, London, S.W.4 Telephone Macaulay 7029 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1959 ON the day before the general election London evening on strike. Listen to the Economist:

‘There was a quiet and unpublicized agreement etween some employers and union offcials to allow oxygen to be imported by air from abroad in order to break the strike.’

The Economist couples this little incident with the recent print dispute (see page 291) and it concludes: