The first speaker was Bob Crow general secretary of the RMT who immediately made the link between the Rolls Royce dispute and the action at Heathrow airport. Bosses attacking trade unions triggered both disputes and both had seen unofficial (i.e. illegal) action by workers as a result. Crow quite rightly pointed out that with the anti trade union laws that were created by the Tories and strengthened by New Labour it was impossible to take any effective action against the bosses without breaking the law. He also pointed out that it’s all very well for the TUC leadership to lay wreaths at Tolpuddle every year to commemorate the martyrs but where were they when their support is needed at Bristol and Southall?
Next up was Alan Watkins a life long trade unionist and friend of Jerry Hicks now retired. Alan who was convener at the Coventry Rolls Royce plant for many years told the meeting how even retired members relied on the union. Rolls Royce could easily introduce cuts to the pensions being collected by its former workers if the present union was not there to stop them. Any successful attack on present workers could easily have repercussions for ex employees.
Tony Benn who was the MP for Bristol East for many years until the seat was done away with concentrated his attacks on the Labour Party and its total failure to anything of note since winning power in 1997. It’s hard to understand why he remains a member of an organization that he seems to spend his entire life slagging off.
Finally Jerry Hicks took the stage to tell of the history of the dispute. How his sacking is little more than vindictive revenge from a management who resent the fact that he successfully defended two workers that they had previously tried to sack. Since his sacking an ‘Interim Relief Hearing’ has ruled in his favour and accused Rolls Royce management of holding ‘Institutionalised Animosity’ towards Trade Unions. Rolls Royce have tried to engineer themselves an exit strategy by offering Jerry £50,000 to go quietly. He has refused. Unless he is unconditionally reinstated by next Monday the entire test area (an essential part of the factory’s operation) will go on indefinite strike. A march is planned for 2nd of September 1pm College Green in Bristol.
Unless of course Jerry has won and been reinstated by then.... .