By the mid eighties profits in the London printing
industry were declining and the introduction of new technology was being
resisted by skilled and semi-skilled print workers. During 1985 Rupert Murdoch,
owner of News International and proprieter of The Sun, News of the World,
The Times and Sunday Times, began setting up a secret printing
press in Wapping under the cover of producing a new London daily. |
Utilising improved printing technology he began
recruiting electricians to later scab on printers whilst guaranteeing their
union (EETPU) that he was not intending to use them so. At the same time
he switched distribution of his papers to TNT trucks (which he had part
ownership of) to avoid interference from rail unions. |
Once Wapping was ready to go Murdoch antagonised
the printing unions (NGA and SOGAT) by presenting them with a list of non-negotiable
demands. When the unions struck he used a legal technicality to sack around
6000 members of SOGAT, the NGA and the AEWU as well as some journalists.
In doing so he aimed to rehire a minority of them under harsh no-strike
contracts whilst avoiding redundancy payments for the rest. The Wapping
bunker came on line overnight to cover for the lock outs at Murdoch's other
factories around the country. |
The battle lines were drawn and over the next
year Wapping was continuously picketed with mass demonstrations called
for the Wednesday and Saturday of every week. Since picketers attempted
to shut down the print works and prevent the distribution of papers violent
clashes with scabs and police became a recurrent feature of the dispute.
Whilst most of the action was centred at Wapping other actions took place
across London and the U.K. at Murdoch printing presses, distribution points
and offices. Despite the union leadership shying away from action and
playing up a failing boycott of Murdoch product the determination of thepicketers
kept the struggle going for over a year.
|
Major pickets regularly disrupted
Wapping whilst smaller hit squads took out trucks in the areas leading to
the print works. Harrassment of individual scabs was widespread as was the
lobbying of gutless union officials who refused to extend the strike or
provide any real support. After a particularly violent picket on January
24th 1987 saw fighting extend to streets beyond the site the police and
company handed the "leadership" the excuse it needed to wind down
pickets by threatenng them with legal action. By late Feburary the dispute
was over and printworker's wages and conditions destroyed. |
For a short account from The
Beano of an individual battle click here. For a view on "slow
rioting" from a top cop click here. A broadsheet
called Picket was produced by printworkers and their allies for the
duration of the struggle. We will be making all 42 issues available in coming
months. |
Back To
Chronology. |