by an NUJ striker JOURNALISTS in newspapers and publishing have for some time been facing a concerted employers' assault on collective bargaining rights. But many chapels of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) are fighting back.
The best-known of these struggles against union derecognition is the two-year long strike by 23 NUJ members at Robert Maxwell's Pergamon Press in Oxford.
Now they have been joined by workers at Marshall Cavendish, Haymarket and IPC in London.
Sacked
The Pergamon strikers, sacked by Maxwell in May 1989 for staging a one-day strike against union derecog nition, have waged a magnificent campaign on an international level over the last two years in defence of their union rights.
Their case has recently been strengthened by an independent in quiry conducted by ex-TUC President Tony Christopher. Maxwell, wilting under the constant pressure, has attempted to undermine the strike with a series of buy-off deals.
Last year the strikers rejected an offer of E100,000 that had been backed by then NUJ General Secretary Harry Conroy.
Offer rejected
More recently the strikers have rejected an offer of re-employment that excluded their Father of Chapel (shop steward). The recent sale of Pergamon Press to Dutch publishing giant Elsevier has not deterred the 23. Their response has been to organise a national rally in celebration of two years of struggle.
Nor has the sale solved Maxwell's problems - huge borrowing to finance such purchases as the New York Daily News is beginning to increase financial pressure on his empire.Now the fight for union rights is spreading.
Management intimidation at Marshall Cavendish has failed to deter strikers. Indeed, the print union SOGAT has offered support to the NUJ strikers, and there are moves to build further joint action between print and NUJ chapels.
Single union
This attempt to break down the sectoralism of the industry will be vital to the success of the fight for union rights. But the campaign for a single union for all media workers will not be aided by NUJ General Secretary Steve Turner, who is explicitly opposed to any amalgamation with print unions, and prepared to flout NEC and conference policies on the issue.
Turner's victory in the recent postal ballot, which had a tum-out of only 23%, was on an election address declaring support for a 'non-political' professional journalists' association.
But his success in the election reflected a desire by many NUJ members to oust ex-General Secretary Harry Conroy, as well as the lack of a credible left candidate, rather than a positive vote for Turner.
Nonetheless, the right-wing majority on the NUJ executive is shrinking, with Pergamon's left wing FoC Jim Boumelha now Vice Presi dent of the union.
The left has been making progress in the battle over derecognition. Prac tical solidarity from socialists is now a vital task.
Wardour St, W1
1-2pm each day More peakers include: Tony Ben IP Steve Turner, NUJ Genera Secretary and others SPEAKERS: BARBARA CASTLE STEVE TURNER (NUJ GEN SEC)
MARY GRINDLEY (GUY DEP GEN SEC OXFORD EAST MP) STAN TAYLOR (OXFORD EAST CLP) COACHES FROM LONDON WILL LEAVE TRAFALGAR SQUARE AT 10AM. CONTACT ROSA ON 071 582 099€ FOR TRANSPORT FROM RIRMINCHAM DI FACE CONTACT STRIKE HQ ON 0865 60762 ON KICK NAZI SCUM-UA OUT OF BEXLEY YEARS ON! -STILL GONG BLACK AND WHITE Socialist Worker UNITE AND FIGHT SMASH THE NAZIS TTACKS
information 071-582-8882 YEARS OF STRUGGLE June, 12.30pm
Assemble at: Pergamon Press, Headington Hill Hall, Oxford
STRONG! PHOTO: Andrew Wiard