TRADE UNION NEWS WEST Midlands Region GMB called off the strike at Burnsall Electroplating on Wednesday 30 June, after 54 weeks of bitter struggle.
The 19 strikers. mainly Punjabi women, struck over low pay (E110 for men, E90 for women); forced overtime; a 65 hour, seven-day week, appalline and dangerous working conditions condemned by the Health and Safety Executive, no union recognition.
52 industrial tribunals are in progress, involving illegal deductions, unequal pay and wrongful dismissal.
13 other cases involve attacks on pickets and support. those maintaining the picket on the pretext of allegations from brutal, revanchist employer O'Neill.
Wasted
The regional organiser of the GMB gave his reasons -that the strike could not be won inside the law, valuable re further action was possible.
i cr son not can sulted: no meeting was called, and no vote taken. When the strikers protested the Gl threatened to withdraw legal Throughout the dispute, the GMB have refused to mount an circuse picket and have consciously demobilised support. They attempeed to block solidarity days called by the strikers in conjunction with the support groups.
The GMB have also refused to appeal to workers and trades union officials to demand their employers do not use Bumsall's chemicals and get their components coated elsewhere.
No challenge Burnsall's management at no stage threatened to use or take up legal restraint on the GMB. Indeed they have had no need to: the GMB have failed to challenge Burnsali in any effective way.
Throughout the dispute the GMB have refused to respond to many of the strikers' basic criticisms and requests. They have bureaucratically imposed their line, which was totally inadequate and doomed to failwith ruthless arroganc and contempt for the strikers, their culture and opinions Even a supporter who volunteered his help as a translator was barred from GMB meetings and denounced as a sake To accosy distorting the official's demands when ine sinkers volcd against mis proposals.
It was necessary to set up support groups to organise the most basic resources and facilities for the strikers; to de sclop the speaking tours and solidarity the GMB showed little enthusiasm for. This is a shameful episode, only possibly equalled by APEX, now part of the GMB, and their withdrawal from Grunwick.
One striker told Socialist Union officials said that they had closed the strike and we couldn't do anything about it. If we agreed with them. okay, if not, too bad.
"They said that if we criticised them to the press or attended the July demonstration they would drop our tribunals.
"They said if we continued the picket we would be arrested. The GMB could not help us. We asked for two wocks to discuss things and decide. They told us it was over. We had to agree.
Money
"They said the money collected for us would only be distributed if we accepted. They then said they had offers of jobs for us.' More than 250 supporters attended the rally in Smeth. wick on Saturday 3 July and pledged support for the strikers struggle against Burnsall and now the GMB. Further details and developments will be announced shortly. • Support groups: Birmingham 021 551 4679, London 071 713 7907. environment, peace and democracy - can never be achieved under capitalism.
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