Events Page
PUBLIC MEETING
JUSTICE FOR THE SHREWSBURY PICKETS
London Welsh Club, 157 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1; 7.30pm 9th November 2009
Vic Turner, a leader of the Pentonville
Five, the dockers' shop stewards jailed in 1972, has spoken of the need
for trade unionists to back the call for justice for the Shrewsbury pickets.
Turner said there is a "direct parallel" between the dockers'
struggle for jobs when employers used containerisation to move cargo handling
inland, away from organised ports, and the building workers who held a
national strike in 1972 which culminated in 24 pickets standing trial
and two, Des Warren and Ricky Tomlinson, being imprisoned for three and
two years' jail, respectively, on conspiracy charges.
While the Pentonville Five were freed when mass solidarity action built
up, the UCATT and TGWU pickets became isolated and were victimised by
employers and the Tory government. Those still alive are demanding that
the cases be reopened.
"Both sections of workers were put under extreme pressure by employers,"
Turner said this week. "We were under threat. The dockers and the
building workers both made a stand. We all took, without knowledge of
each other, similar actions to determine our future."
Turner, who will be addressing a public meeting of the Justice for Shrewsbury
Pickets campaign at the Welsh Club, 157 Gray's Inn Road, London, on Monday,
9 November (7.30pm), added: "It is incumbent on anyone who has a
class outlook to support the Shrewsbury issue. That is why I am speaking
there."
The Shrewsbury campaign is calling for a public inquiry into the prosecutions
and the release of government documents from 1972 and 1973 that detail
the involvement of the security services, including MI5, in the cases.
Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, has told Peter Kilfoyle, the Merseyside
MP, that the government documents cannot be released for "national
security" reasons.
Other speakers are: Bob Crow (RMT general secretary); John McDonnell MP;
John Hendy QC; Terry Renshaw (Shrewsbury picket); Jerry Swain (UCATT London
South East reg sec); Dave Smith (Anti-Blacklisting Campaign); Gary Davies
(Shrewsbury Defence Committee founder).
*Any queries to Chris Corrigan
at 020 8675 8050 / 07708.883056
or Steve Ballard 07989.786399
click here for flier
TUC Fringe meeting
Wednesday 16 September 2009
Starting 6.30 pm, @
29 Hope St, Liverpool L1 9BQ
(Near the cathedrals and between The Everyman Theatre & Philharmonic
Hall)
Des Warren (On Film)
Ricky Tomlinson (Jailed Picket)
Bob Crow (RMT)
Dave Nellist (No2EU)
Steve Aschenson (Blacklist Support Group)
Bar & refreshments available
March Against State Conspiracy
Saturday 4 July 2009 in Shrewsbury
Assemble: St Julian’s Friar Car Park from 10 30am onwards
Rally: 12 noon at Shrewsbury Council Offices (Monument)
Speakers: Ricky Tomlinson (jailed picket)
PCS Union
Shrewsbury Justice Campaign
Conspiracy, Leadership and Recession
During the 1970s building workers were framed - sent to jail and fined
- as a warning to other workers not to engage in struggle.
As the Recession deepens, workers will be forced into struggle in defence of jobs, wages and services. How will the State react this time, and what will our leaders do?
Let us expose the conspiracy that surrounds the ‘Shrewsbury’ trials and be better prepared for what is fast approaching.
Coach from Liverpool leaves Lime St (Empire) 8am. Contact: 0790 730 7853
LOBBY OF PARLIAMENT
Thursday 12 March 2009
Assemble on the College Green opposite the House of Lords @12.30
· For a Public Inquiry
· Expose MI5 involvement
· Release secret evidence
MEETING (after lobby)
Westminster Hall @ 3.30 pm
What really lay behind the Shrewsbury trials? Were the jailings of the pickets used as a warning to other workers? Who were the real conspirators? What lessons can be drawn for today’s struggles?
Speakers Arthur Scargill. Jailed Picket Ricky Tomlinson.
Alan Alan Ritchie UCATT Gen Sec. John Hendy QC.
Chairman Jeremy Corbin.
The London group of the Shrewsbury Justice Campaign have organised a public meeting on the 27th of October in the Welsh Club on Gray's Inn Road WC1 London at 7.30pm
'THE KEY TO MY CELL' reprint
The reprint of Des Warren’s autobiography ‘The Key to My Cell’ is to be launched at the Writing on the Wall (WOW) Festival, History Day, Tuesday 15 May 4.00-5.30 pm, at Dean Walters Building (JMU) Upper Duke St.
Joe Sim, Professor of Criminology at JMU, will discuss the use of legal drugs by the state to control prisoners. Steve Tombs, Professor of Sociology at JMU, will discuss corporate crime and the construction industry today.
To order the book contact: justice4pickets@yahoo.co.uk
For copies of the A4 poster shown on the left click here.
Public Meeting
Thursday 10 May 2007 at 7.30pm
Ruskin House, TU & Labour Club,
23 Coombe Road, Croydon, CR0 1BD.
Chair: Malcolm Campbell, President, Croydon TUC
Speakers;
Ricky Tomlinson, Actor & Imprisoned Picket
Tony O’Brien, Construction Safety Campaign
Mike Abbott, Secretary, Justice for Shrewsbury Pickets
Alan Ritchie, General Secretary UCATT (invited)
Tom Lannon, Chairperson, UCATT South East Region
Entertainment;
Trevor Hyett & The Rebels Without Applause
Organised by Croydon TUC
Sponsored by SW London Shrewsbury Defence Committee
For poster click here
7.30pm, Friday 26 January 2007
The Grosvenor
(The Ranch)
Nelson Street, Shotton, North Wales (by the Station)
Speakers will include:
Ricky Tomlinson
Arthur Scargill
Mike Abbott (Campaign Secretary)
Barry Scragg
Tickets £5 inc. Buffet
For poster click
here