La new Penguin Special, Grunwick.
ATHAN SILBERMAN Trade unionists and socialists are well aware of the role of the National Association for Freedom in the Gruewick dispute. NAFF has pulled out all the stops to ensure the defcat of the itrikers. Through & campaign of propaganda in the media, active impact of the poral worker Impact of postal workers"
oycott and advice to George Ward, NAFF has exposed itself as the antiJoe Rogaly critical of the IAFF. Like all the most astute ruling class poltical thinkers, saw the same film.
Touring Socialist Challenge meetings in the North-west MRS WICK IS a RELIE USED experizen: in support raising The Newsreel Collective film Stand Together. It is a rousing, effective, and com plementary aid to the strikev appeal for mass pickets.
The footage and soundtrack were almost totally shot on the !! July mass day of action. alone constitutes both the film's strengths as an agitational tool and its weaknesses as a more useful film event within the bronder political situation.
The film begins with strikers on the lice reasons for being on their reasons for strike and devel pments sinoe the the film consists of a chronological narrative of the day's events This narrative i underscored by Interviews with dosens of narticipants from all sections of the movement. In particular we witness the colourful tide Eiste ion canners 3nG colol- gents into Willesden Britain. Unity, solidarity, SOLE pose against Ward and NAFF are the key-notes of the text and images.
This technique - the overlay of myriad views with no "privileged explicit view on the part of tbe film-makers - Is the cinematic act protein the central problem in the development of a genuinely rev. olutionary film practice. That is not to advocate the vulgar imBUSINET "line ULE As assistant editor of the Financial Times and its "Society Today' columnist, JOE ROGALY is a leading commentator for the ruling class. He is also the author of Following this week's "Day of Reckoning'. JON- co-author of Challenge's pamphlet The Battle of Grunwick: View from the Left — examines Rogaly's assessment of the dispute and its implications for the struggle ahead.
Rogaly does not favour the crude anti-unionism of the Posed that The her bold ar Point Ward Cabinet's special adviser on in In reply to Drinwick's boss and peply site it his antist crusade, Rogaly says that thei argument may sound like good coonomics, but it is sociologically unsound and it is bad politics.
Rogaly argues that the politica sensitivity" of the NAFF, which alienates it from those who are •Nostalgia is not enough' suggests CARL GARDNER as the headline for his critical review of Stand Together, a 52-minute colour film on the Grunwick struggle by the Newsreel Collective. GEOFFREY SHERIDAN wonders if be soundtrack but Newsreel bypass this problem of film strategy by an "apolitical" device which 1s itself deeply political.
Worthy of note is the exposure of the presence of thousands of within the dispute. Activists from the women's movement are given their voice rare within the context of a trade union even!
The patronising treatment of the mile trade union bureaucrate F This Farm around Ettle" Jayaben Desai throuphour her whole speech!
There is ouly one overt inter vention hy the film makers with in the film, outside this obviously that partial, work. Ar one point they illustrat that day's events, concentrated on the "anruliness" and 'violence of the pickets. But it is precisely here tion to tbe bourgeois medin's comesus view or mass acon as a "threat to democracy' of Newsreci start to run into probbeEns.
Anxious as they are to stress the essentially purposeful and movement's response to Grun wick, they are unable to conwithin the film, political problem. Working class violence against a violent bourgeois State is both peressible and necessary, Only an occasion al dissenting soundiack is anie to question the prevailing tone — that somelow massed trade union solidarity As a result of the political and the chronological limitations of Socialist Tory associate oneself sell from die a an himIsation, Rogaly goes on to argue NAFF championed by pe the case for the context of the Grunwick strike the need for a clearly stated code and the responsibibities of trade NESWSSELUIE WIENER CEO TECHE Scarman said in 1974: "It 15 perhaps too often forgouten that morning (which may yet be scen is the turning-point in the des tural fac Similarly, because the film is CHELOR WILE DID six or seven hours, any explan ation of the wider coonomic and the contradiction expansion of the leisure market and the pressure of large capital upon small capital within that industry) is rendered imnorshle umpossible too is any excursion out of the realms of the immedi polare is and problem Grunwick to be wider politica struggle.
Norman Irame selectively in opposi that wond a central Locatlon filming of Stand Together STAND TOGETHER & a significent contribution within the the Grunwick struggle and a notable achievement in alternative newsreet production, both of which in my view comrade estimates in his review.
sholuders Grunwick dispute.
ESTLICE any
The would want to impleinentation Or suEn Grovemment CODICEYC struggle was moved specific ation of other workers, still matter how stirring. berween the be largely realised BeaNe relation of sibilities to be so curtailed mis. probably be or lirtie law is that it is a curb upon power of posing the prot lem, to NAFF's crude and insen bashing But the government perhaps in the nor will have to nettle again. extend the law to delineate the ground rules of trade union behaviour. People will say "The i impossible". Ask why, and the answer will be "The unions wil the fural defect modern British society: that be strongest extra-legal obedience to general rules as all other secrions of society. the adverse conscoucoc's must simp In be accepted with a shrug of the These are the grave and serious picketing lessons drawn not only by Rogaly but by significant sections of the class from the the hands for them is not primarily con- George with Issue:
BILLS related to small, hadly organised workplaces with a high proportion of black workers. It is now a question or te unwas encam gether labour movement must look at the Grunwick dispute from the same standpoint and map our a way forward hased on the stakes that are involved. We must understand how the policies The trade pursued by the Labour Cavern bave compleiely ment prepare the way for the union policies by a future Tory the (wertinient- promised TUC machine was met when the off the streets where it was difficult to contral, into courtrooms." Simultaneously the Government announced that it was ponsidering Yet it is precisely such peperalsation'; such attempes within the situation and the situ which could render it accessable and relevant to those nor immediately Invored in the dispite to whom 4 chronological narrative o Doe handle this. Politics cannot jambore:? simply by the literal portrayal of the euphoria of one day, no Despite these weaknesses Stond Together can play a real male in mobilising support. If that is now the target realised. But then when Grunwick is over it could well to have much purpose except as mere nostalgia. Which b sad - film is too rare and precious a resource for its pos CHILACE committee, militant While he acknowledges the usefuloess of the film in building sabdarity. his dea or what n revalutionary füm ought to be entirely belles Newsreel Collect ive's evident intentions, and argues for a film which would interest outside the ranks of the far left. A famillar sight at Grunwick gates painted by Sheldon Willama changes to at least the laws oo Rather than nationalise Gruncompensation in order to take the factory out of reactionary Ward and guarantee reinstatement and rocognition. Callaghan and Co have joined with the moves aimed at helping Ward defeat the strikers. tointroducting anti-union legislation.
CAPITULATIONS lesderships : failed to organ ISE SEATS DE NAFF Or 809181 the Government's caniculations. They have sabotaged the mass nicker. mnd taled to antanise to: boycoll of scrvices that the The finger must be pointed firmly at the bureaucrats who are responsible for Ward's present confidence.
We must be prepared to organ ise independenty from them. What is vitally necessary now is Stand Together has been hired - among others the Young munist Party, Big Flame, Socialist workers Pany Socialist hallenge groups, and bunde trade uni branches ades councis. APEX and 11 UC have yet any interest.) Are diences being entertained to socie cil. Within Dive minutes of a discuss his opened tha trade umonist suggested occupying Grunwick and hi-jack. ing the scab bus were the kind of steps that had now to be conedered. The debste immediate turned to the straregy necessary to win the strike; a debate which Me LINTENANCY SEETARELS While Stand Together has no the film-makers have chosen to use the voicesal the by Grunwick strikers and their supporters to egalain the politics. Certainly, these centre on the issue of mass picketing. But the messLEE COme SCrOss IBE MOre SnaTOl than Carl indicates.
Totake just a few of tle voices Bill Freeman, a NATSOPA of ficial, says immediately after the TUC demo: "Next time we conse i certainly won't be walking around bloody Landon. CTY CC going to close thar fackary be cause that's where it scarted an that's where it's going to end.
We wanted to have a day long explains Gandhi, chairperson of the strike 'but because of the pressure and blackmail from th TUC we were forced to support shop them from totaging te Mon them tom sanolagine mass picket in the morning.
If the police were using vilence the bus tbrough.
Comments
pickets have to use violence to Newsreel Collective readily an knowledges that the film does not extend into the wider politica issues. One reason for this is tha preparing a Grunwick film along these lines, and Newsreel con MUSCLES DEVOIESH OVERD In any event, Carl's proposed analysis of the leisure industry not simply denunciations of the delegate labour movement con ference in support of the • Grun WILK SELLALI Such a conferenc would: organise the rank and file: provide the basis for netWOrk DE committees; and place maximum pressure on the union lenderships who always quake in their boots when the rank and are prepared to act independently It would also provide a demo cratic forum for discussion on ow to take the struggle forwa gains Ward, again NAR and acainst all the attacks on trade union rights Grunwick, by Joe Rogaly published by Perewin of 80p view from the left and Tails van Cataran 30» The Battle of Grimick Vir mon port tree popios post free and 10 p wouk be best locared theoretical journal, such Wedge.
Resources, as well as politic are clearly relevant. Given tb cost of film-making. Newsreel deserves considerable credit for successfully pulling off an ope ation which required the kind o equipment, mobility, team wock and direction ordinarily devoted wealthy full-scale documentaries ased, of course, , in slightly less pleasant ways. I don't think the present sise of the far left alone would justify this expenditure of Dinances and coergy on a primarily theoretical film.
Is the wider political strugale"
have overiooked DUNCH SOCEELAY PACK LOOSHEY S statement in Sand Together: At anvane "bloody blacks and Pakis' un dercutting the movement, some ahour The freedom lovers of NAFF are now threatening to challenge The Other Cinema's status as a charity because it screcoed Srand Together as part of a Grunwick henefit. NAFF appears to differ with Carl's assessment. The fum does have a line. constructed torougn une songa, magcs, ang interviews presented; and it is a line which simulates precise IK KING DEUCOME HIMSEL that are now vital.
GEOFFREY SHERIDAN Stand Together can be hired al The ciner Cinem 12-75 Little Newport Street, Lon dow WCZ. Tel: 01-734 8508-9
Socialist Challenge
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