or How our society puts profits before people - and victimises those who want to put people before profits. In an isolated community like that tof the Hull fishing industry, where "women's place is in the home", people like Mrs. Bilocca, who have come Forward with demands and demonstrations, have to face considerable hostility and ridicule. Mrs. Bilocca has received threatening letters, was shouted down when she addressed a meeting at Grimsby, and has been publicly rebuked by influential figures like Skipper Laurie Oliver, secretary of the Hull Trawler Officers’ Guild. "T have been asked," he said, "by the wives of some of my members, to state that the action of Mrs. Bilocea has not enhanced the image the public may have of fishermen's wives. Women who have lost men on the three ships have had the least to say about it, which is what we admire. The idea of forming a women's committee to fight battles for the men, is, to my mind, completely ludicrous." The short answer to Skipper Cliver is that one of the originators of the campaign lost her brother, the skipper of the Koss Cleveland, a few days later, that one of the leaders of the demonstration at the fish dock was the widow of a member of the crew of the St. Romanus, and that of the two women who went with Mrs, Bilocca in the delegation m to London, one had lost her father at sea and the other was the wife of a Grimsby trawler officer. Millions of people all over the country, and nearly everyone in Hull will remember the splendid fight that Mrs. Bilocca put up last winter for safety and decent conditions on Hull's trawlers. No doubt most people imagine that she is still fsmous, respected and 4 valued member of society, especially as the enquiry into the disasters held early last month in Hall vindicated her actions in many respects, (although as she herself ssys, they did only the bare minimmm to setisfy public opinion), Men who had served on the trawlers on earlier voyages were not called to give evidence about the conditions of the trawlers, and none of them dared to come forward for fear of victimisation, But that just roes to show how well the real nature of our society is dispuised from most people, In fact, because of her actions, Lilian Bilocea has lost her job and cannot get another one - she has in fact "rot" other jobs - until they learnt her neme... The hard-faced men who rule this country want disciplined servants from whom they can extract easy profits, not workers who care more for the conditions of people's lives than the boss' balance sheet. Our hypocri itical society was 7 forced to praise Lilian Bilocca to satisfy public opinion, but once the fuss | had died down it quietly proceeded to punish her for helping to expose one of its many injustices. The necessity for workers to stick together in the battle for a ¢1 ivilisé democratic, socialist society is once more demonstreted, Please send ag seacn of support, etc. to: Mrs. Lilian Bilocea, c/o Humberside Voice, 60 Southcoates Lane, Hull.
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c % This article and the following one are reprinted with the kind permission : of Black Dwarf, from a specie] issue entitled "1969: The Yeer of the Militant t Woman: " Copies are availeble at 1/6 po. hd from Socialist Women, 16 Ella Rd. a West Bridgford, Nottingham, NG2 5GW, Other articles include: Dwarf Profile on a Barbara Castle, Women Sex and the Lbolition of the Family, Women: the struggle Wi for freedom... som™
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