in is 14th week. The strikers are demanding the reinstatement of Pete Wilson, an AUEW shop steward who was sacked for calling a meeting on the shop floor.
There is no question about the determination of the strikers to win this struggle, but unfortunately they will not stop production, so long as about 100 G&M workers continue to scab. The obvious ineffectiveness of simple opposition to the District Committee which has refused to go beyond calling the occasional mass picket. The idea of occupation has been floated, but the strike committee has so far been reluctant to make an open plea to the DC, which has advised against such a move.
POLICE INTERVENTION Events took a new tum last week. shop stewards committees for a rally outside Footprints on Friday afternoon, shout 400 people responded. The strike by 100 AUEW members the scats who were protected by the et Footprint Tools, Sheffield, is now police came out of work. It was durWing the scuffle that the first two arrests were made, Pete Wilson, the sacked shop steward, and Georg Cabor, the District Secretary of the AUEW. Six arrests followed during a rally and demonstration held outside the police station. Apart from the usual barrassment, the police had previously made no attempt to have confrontation pickets. The anest of Cabor and Wiison was clearly provocation to the pickets, intended to demonstrate that they were incapable of defending their own leaders, let alone depicketing has led to frustration and feating Footprints or tbe scabs. The arrest will also create a new issue which might divert the movement away from the struggle to reinstate Pete Wilson After the storm the question was being asked, which way forward?
Last Monday, there was a meeting of shop stewards from 25 different firms in Sheffield to discuss how the strug gle could be advanced. UnfortunateAfter a call by representatives of ly, nothing new came from the District Committee, except a propcaal for yet another mass picket on the Thunday moring. However, a numNEV CASTLE PUBLIC MEDONG: Bif.
ted for throughout the engncenng industry in Shetfield, such action will create the forces necessary to stop the scabs despite their police protection, A DISTRICT STRIKE Members of the District Committee feel the pressure from militants for this kind of action and are beginning to speak of the need to build up to such a strike. There is u real possibility that the District Committee will be forced to call an aggregate meeting of the shop stewards, to discuss the organisation of a district strike. The Police attack at Footprints fits into a pattern. The state is attempting to weaken working class ability to struggle in anticipation of the wage Claims of the engineers and miners, It is vital that the Police challenge at Footprints is met by massive abow of force, a victorious outcome is vital for the struggles over the national Engineer ing wuge claim.
The events at Footprint also haw great significance for the organisation of resistance to state interventior aguinst working class militancy; of which the campaign to defend the CENTRAL LONDON AIL FORUM: Jehn Grey Former AlL armiang Labs on The Conspiracy Tunt ara he Problem of the Solidary Mie einone: Cantral Picton, Caledoniur Re kings Onel. Friday, 26 (rarest tube, Scotember, apm WONDERS FIGHT Able merril Golden Lion. Kind's Cross Rod. Sinds. 30 Sectarter, Spr MERSEYSIDE IMG DISCUSSION GROUP: A saries of introductoty discussions organised by Merseyside ING on the politics of the Fourth International. Starts Monday, BOctober. For details, phone John 051-038 8081, be write to MDG, 52 Collen Street, Livipool B PHOENIX CLUB: First saries of meetings un Irwind and the EEC (27 Septemberi: Orange im 111 Octobert: treland and the Perimeneht Revolution 125 Derobert, Island and the British Left (B November), Hevolutionary perspectives for deland (22 Nowher). Thundays at the General Picion, Caledonian Taad, er 8:00 g.n Funther information from Workers Fight, 98 Gifford Street, Londan N.1 BIRMINGHAME ING STUDY CLASSES, INCOluctory series of lectorag on the pollies of ti MG. Every WecilEsday. 7.30 p.m. a1.11 Wellington pub, Bristol Rowd
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Three hundred police also turned up. ber of speakers demanded a district. Strewebury 24 must be the nationa The demonstrator sured forwad in strike This perspectin must to agita