Mathews has every reason to praise Birch. The engineers have agreed to an 18-point statement drawn up by Mathews which is a severe setback for all workers in Fleet Streer, It states there will be no: union Chane! meetings a "inconvenient times", no payment employees attending such daring office hours, and that tea-breaks will only be taken at the discretion of the The engineers have niso under taken to participate in meaning ment's desire to reduce existing staff levels':
Beaverbrook's managing director Jocelyn Stevens was over Joyed at the terms of the agroe nothing away. he said, adding "this is the mos important settlement in the newsindustry ance toe war.
This Jubilation is tasy union practice of holding win traditional moctings during working bours as a way of pressuri away he AUEW workers have accepted that many jobs will go, and the tcribs of the management victory establish an important precedent In Fleet Street. All the Beaverbrook engincers got in return was Ebeir re-instatement - they heen sacked and locked out after working hours.
LOCKOUTS The lock outs came Just three months after Trafalgar House. hended by Matthews, rook over Trafalgar House made its money hy property spoculation and by specialising in ISE WHE LIE ULCULT arion is weak — the catering and building trans is auto the targes individual industries. The contributor to Tory Party funds giving Thatcher and friends 126,000 last yearMatthews views on the much vaunted "press freedom" of the Flees Street bazoos is summed up in one remark he made wisco be Took over: My editors will be guaranteed editorial freedom as ESSENT agree with policies Marbews lived up to these reactionary last week's lock-out. He threatented la close down the LOndOn printing operation entirely and transfer it to Manchester. 'Voice of the silent maiority barricaded the offices of the Express to prevent the engineers from caterine the bulling, And he called in the police after the disappearance of following his Instant dismissal of the engineers.
The Threat to to Mabchester made possible by the lacest print technology - was who the encineers worked nor mally on the throughout the other is the rivalry betweto Drin workers in London and Mancheiter, caused by the higher my wares and to the London WOIk ers and their past reluctance to support the fight workers when their Jobs nave been chreatened -are bow by the electronic transTISSIOT -OL Marrhees did all he could to • the new slogan to adorn the Daily Express -foster these divisions. When the Manchester cagineets continued working he sent then a telegram praising them for your wondermachine parts ful support.
tactics on for the AUEW The only transfer all forge unity against Lie bully-boy tactics of Matthews. Bat for a the unions involved Street have ibe independence priat workers NOTED CURD The have enjosed from their union lenderships. recent rejection of the bureau crats"
Clearly the AUEW and Reg Bisco in bf Mancbester Jock out as a way of te escablishWing the aubority of the borens - IS MET INC!
commented: "A siguiticant figure pares- in achieving che Reg Birch. he urged the enginmittee SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 15 September 1977 Page 4
cart of the same fight. Th COHSE leadership has consis the curs, allowing branches loc ally to "do their own bing'. Here again the joint stewards com the CONSE conference pass
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Monday's front-page editorial (top right on the end of the lack-out. That printworters allowed such a vicrous ettack to be published without a reply is a messum of the defeat imposed on the print enginears by Express boss Victor Matthews (above ielt) and the AUEW officie! he so much admires, Reg Birch [above)