The TGWU Regional Committee has been given the task of organising the enquiry. The strikers are complainne that they have been prevented rom electing Asian shop stewards.
od that the white shop stewards in e factory refused to take up their grievances, both about racial discrimmation by the management, and over the bonus system.
The Executive's decision followed a lobby of Transport House in London, by 300 strikers, on Friday, 31 May.
A large number of women strikers ФАНі ТУ IN RoMoted Photo: CHRIS DAVIES IRI took part in the lobby. The women have been especially militant in this dispute, and in fact initiated the walkout 5 weeks ago, Mis Doshe, a member of the Strike Committee, rold Red Weekly about the treatment they receive in the factory:
"We are treated like dogs by the management and the white shop stewards alike, Although the women male rate, the Asian women receive Strikers from Imperial Typewriters lobby Transport & General Workers Union headquarters in London last Friday less than the white women workers. Discipline is strict - no talking on the line for Asian women, but white women can carry on as much as they like.
She also said that the women, many of whom have difficulty with English, are denied proper representation because they cannot com municate with the stewards. She recounted how one Asian woman was in the factory are only paid 50% of the reduoed to tears by the bullying of 1 stop steward, trying to force her Act.
Committee.
The women bave also come in for speciai attention from the police. who have stepped up their harass ment of the picket lines. On Thursday (30 May) nine strikers were arrested. The police have been demanding to see pickets passports, once more exploiting the anti-working class nature of the 1971 Immigration PRESS The press campaign against the strikers continues. When the strike committee refused to co-opecute with the Race Relations Board enquiry into the factory, the Leicester Mercury argued that this exposed as fraudulent their claims of racial discrimination. But in fact this is hardly surprising, since George Bromley, the T&G district secretary who has been trying to smash the strike, was a founder member of the East Midlands conciliation commiter of the Board. Black workers have also been disgusted by the white-wash job the Board did on the recent struggle at Harwood Cash in Manstield.
Another aspect of the press campaign has been to attack "outsiders" Who are 'running" the strike. This is aimed particularly agninst promisent black militant Bennic Bunsce who has been helping the Strike H. Kbetani, a member of the strike committer, put the view of most Imperial strikers. "We inviled in Bennie Bunsee and we are prepared to accept help from anyhody. We choose our friends, not the Leicester Mercury Bunsee commented: 'I would wel come a situation where the local officials wore helping the strikers and advising them. But they aron't. In this situation all socialists have a duty to help as much as they can.
The Strike Committe has written a letter to national TGWU officia! Moss Evans, who discussed with them during the lobby and promised to take up their demands with the T&G Executive: We feel heartened that responsible trade union intervention will be brought into this dispute and we bope it will be carried right through. H. Khetani commented: We welconte the promises but what we really want is action. The union must make this strike official.
The maximum pressure must be mounted: force the TAG to officially recognise the strike but the fight will not end there. The Art Castings dispute in Coventry was made officia but the refusel of the union lo impose effective blacking meant that it was lost anyway, And the enquiry must he serious, and not an attempt to get G. Bromley JP' off the huck.
The labour movement can ensure that the Tor leadership does not rat on this strike by extending maximum solidarity to the stnkers. The strike committer are calling a demon stration on Sunday to June, starting at Spinney Hill Park. Leicester at 2 pri. It is essencial that a big mobilisation is made throughout the trade union movement for litis demorstration.
East London IMG is orgazesing a public meeting with Bennie Banice, and two inembers of the Strike Commitree, or 7,30 pm, an East Hain Town Hell on Tuesday L3 Jane. And a coach is being organised for the Letcester Demo, on the lath. For information phone 01-278 9529 'The Struggle at Imperial Typewziters" • Leicester and Nottinghain IG pamphlet, 3p each pias portige Send money with orders to 56 Park Road, Lenton, Nortingham.
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WE FIGHT EL DIGNITY & SE WE ARE NOT