Parmatma Marwha is a militant TWU shop steward at Delta He is also chairman of his trade union branch and has been active En getting support for the strikers at Imperial Typewriters.
Parmatma is angry at suggestions that the strike is against the trade unions. He insists that the workers at Imperial are fighting for trade union rights. He explained: "We want to build strong trade unions.
*I have been a member of the TWU for nine years. First 1 built up the union in Walkers Crisps. Then Ijoined this Delta Moulding. When I got there, there was no union at all. Again we built up the union in that What has your attitude been to the GWU In my branch we have pur down resolutions calling on the TWU to make the strike official.
Talso got in touch with the Walker Crisps shop stewards and their branch and those people went with us as a combined delegation to see the union district secretary to try and get the union to support the Imperial strike. What other things have you done to spport I got collections organised in my taclory. The first raised E50.60, the second collection was just ever t38.
I arranged with the stewards st Walkers Crisps for collections there They raised £100 and the second collection was over L70.
There have alo been collections at Barrington Products and H. J. B The workers from my factory have of course attended the demonstrations held in support of the strike. What do you think of the way that the workers at taperial have organised them By running and organising the • strike themselves the workers at Imperial are setting an example for the whole Asian people and also for the whole trade union movement. Their way of fighting shows how to make the unions move on and do something about theit mernhers The role of the women in the strike has been great. You know in Section 61 - where the strike started - a majority of women came out first. When the workers go back after winning the strike a minher of the women must hecome shop stewards. They bave learned a lot in the strike and they must continue to strike? participate in the strugges.
What actions should he taken nationaily These people are in great need of money. The Social Security has played the role of strike-breaker. Many strikers bave no money at all So they need collections and donations from people who support them.
Red Weekly Parmatma Marwha on the picket line out side Imperial's main London sales outlet Where possible there should be solidarity strikes. Littons is a multinalional company. Workers in other countries should organise strikes or at least put pickets up ut the Litton After this strike is over do you think the struggle stops there?
No it must not just stop there. Already we have discussed in our branch and in the branch where Walkers Crisps members work about some form of organisation 1am convinced that we must have some form of organisation, even if it at first consists of the 'white leftist organisations and immigrant workers Iar not in favour aball of having black trade unions.
We must work in the trade union movement. But we do need some other forns of organisation to deal with the situation, when as at Imperial Typewriters the union falls us completely.
You say it is importunt to work with you had much help from them in this No, we have had very little help The Communist Party in Leiceste has done nothing to belp our strike In fact many of their members have opposed the strike, What the white leftist organisations have to do is demonstrate in practice their support of these struggles. That is the way to get unity