IMGpapers 1976–79

Newspapers of the International Marxist Group and its forerunners, 1976–79

How they marched in South London

Socialist Challenge No. 23, 24 November 1977 · p. 9 of the scan · 549 words

The scan: sc-n23-nov-24-1977.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive, opens at this page)

Uncorrected machine reading. This text was read by machine (Apple Vision OCR) from a scan of a newspaper page, and the page was cut into articles by machine, at the headlines found by their type size. Nothing has been corrected: expect misread words, text from a neighbouring article, and titles that are the machine reading of the headline, some of them only fragments. Quote from the scan, not from this page.
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page 9 of the scan

WANTED for Arson and Murder Wednesday when Women march through the streets of Romford in Essex Firefighters from Batterses and Crawley marehed with supporters from the labour movement through the streets of South London last Saturday. Despite a circular from the Fire Brigade Union leadership branding the "politically motivated', two hundred and fifty demonstrators demanded the fall 30 per cent now.

Battersea fire station members information from the Rank and File Fireman bulletin to other stations, once the phones had been disconnected. The Greater London Council admitted to jamming four wavelengths to prevent these broadcasts has failed to co-ordinate actions and information. The phones have since been restored.

These firefighters have a militant reputation in London stemming from their struggle last year against the Victorian discipline imposed by station master David Callingham. In this tradition, the firefighters have provided a tremendous march got Fleet Street coverage last used radios to broadcast has paid off.

- vital when the union example of how to safeguard the strike's interests by occupying the station in shifts. The use of the radio aided in this, by warning firefighters of attempts to lure pickets aware from stations, and by organising flying pickets in preparation for snatch operations by the state.

This is exactly the type of lead the executive of the union isn't prepared to accept. But for the local FBU members, it Over E700 hus poured into strike funds from local factories, schools, and direct works departments. The Trades Council - whose sub-committee called Saturday's march — called a public meeting on Tuesday to launch a broad support committee. But a problem already confronted by the Trades Council - the decision of the FBU marchers not to allow banners or leafletters on Sacurday's march - must be overcome if effective support activity is to be broadened.

Tion committee. But the stimulus bebind the committee did not come from the station's most militant members. Instead, the right WIng election in order to take the initiative away from Rank and The policies pur forward by Rank and File supporters for a pursuit of the claim will only be won inside the FBU membership through a COnsistent TERAt for clected strike committees, and thordemocratic organisatof the struggle. Building Rank and File cannot substitute for elected strike committees. e the strike can only help ise the strike can only militant supporters of Rank can the left to the right wong * Nottingham March The Nottingham Fire Brigades Union has given its backing tc Saturday's local march called by the trades council against the 10 per cent norm, Firelighters be marching alongside strikers from the Stanton and Staveley plant of the British Steel Corporation. Metal mechanics on strike at Kaleigh's bave also been approached to supp ort the march.

This initiative by the trades council announced by its vice-president Brian Simister at alocal anti-cuts conference is a shining example of how to forge a united fight against Labour'spay polic Workers from Stanton and Staveley are fighting for a claim that can help protect wages from inflation. They are demanding a E15 across the board increase, plus 40p fro cach thresbold crossed in a cost of living index

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and File in winning other FBU members to policies that point towards victory. As such, they

← Women in the front lineStriking across Britain →

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