The following account of the above dispute has been written for us by the Troasurer of the Lock-Out Committee - H, Titms, 4, Biurchon Grove, London N.1.9 in response to a request from the editors
"oe.ceeeee This was the first lock-out in our existence as an organised factory, and resulted from the illogal action of the management in insisting upon operating, without prior discussion, major changes in the existing practice rolative to the viece-work scheme.
"We wore informed on Thursday 28, December, 1961, that tho new system, designed primarily to cut piocework prices, was to be operated the following day.
"The setters refused to handle the now paper-work, claiming and quite rightly, that it gave thom extra work without oxtra pay, and tho stewards and members made sepeated attempts to get a meeting with the Management in order to got some discussion before the operation of the new system.
"By Friday 29th December the situation was developing, and owing to the fact that the setters refused to handle the paper-work, operators were unablo to book on to the new work,
"The Managoment were informed of tho situation, and thoir reply was that no meoting was necossary, and tiat so far as they were concerned the systom was in order and working. ‘they also claimed that our action in trying to get discussion on the matter was "interference in their business."
"A shop mecting held om the same day ondorsed the action so far taken by the shop stewards, and the meeting was adjourned till} men lst January.
"We were then informed that we could ocither start work. <: using the new system or loave the premises. ‘Ye were quite prepared to work using the old system, but as the management had taken away the facilitios for us to do that, we had no alternative but to leave, claiming that we had been locked out.
"London North District A.lJ.U. wore informed of tho facts and confirmed that the action of the management constituted a Lock-Out, and Replied to the &.¢. for official backing.
"We resumed work aftor 3 weeks on a promise of suspension of papor-vwork for one day and an immediate Local Conference, to be held the same day, and the result of that was a suspension of the system for 7 days and for a further 7 days in case of dead-lock to enable discussions to take place.
"We are now discussing the scheme, and up to the time of posting, have reached no agreement.
"pout 200 workers were affected, comprising setters and operators, mostly members of the A.3.U. and the others were members of the General and Municipal Workers Union."
lmcouraged by the Governments policies wo can expect many more local disputes of the type outlined by our brother above, Moreover, should the dispute break out again we would need to mobiliso maximum support for the fight we do not want any more defeats a la Acton. Comrades are asked to make these facts widely known and to contact comrade Timms for more dotails should the dispute break out again.