The national events leading up to the decision to form a Solidarity Committee to support the seamen in Hull are well known. Locally, throughout the strike the NUS Disputes Committee has been outstandingly active, and has taken a number of important initiatives...,.Among its many other activities, it decided to back the publication of Not Wanted on Voyage, of which 10,000 copies have now been sold. (See The Week, 23.26.66, oe eeee «Local financial support and resolutions from trade unions branches have been relatively slow to develop, however, and it was this fact, together with a growing awareness that the owners, the government and the press were determined to try to isolate the strikers, which led to the formation of the present committee. Encouraged by resolutions of support passed by two of the town's three Labour Parties, individual Labour Party members, shop stewards and the Trades Council, came together with the NUS Disputes Committee to form an ad hoc organisation, With 14 members, the committee met for the first time on the evening of Wilson's Red Scare speech in the House of Commons, The stunt was treated by people present as rather contemptible, and we got down to — We have made the following programme the basis for our immediate plans:- 1, The organisation of a mass march, with trade union and Trades Council
banners present, through the town. 2. The formation of factory based "Seamen's Aid Committees", 3. The organisations of collections in the main factories. 4. The organisation of a mass meeting to propagate all this work on a
wider basis, Adverts have appeared in the local press, 5. The preparation and distribution of further leaflets on the strike,
particularly aimed at rebutting all government and press attacks on
the seamen and on the union, 6. The organisation of a women's committee of seamen's wives and members of
thelabour movement, to collect and distribute food parcels to strikers!
fanilies, 7. The women's committee will approach the local Co-op, in particular the
women's guilds. 8. The organisation of a concert, with national artists, in aid of the sea~
men's funds. No doubt as things develop, we shall be involved in many other activities. We urge all trade unionists and members of the labour movement to demonstrate and give effect to their solidarity with the seamen, by setting up similar committees in all towns. It doesn't matter whether or not you live in a port, This struggle involves the whole trade union movement, since the Government has foolishly decided to make the seamen the test case for their incomes policy. Wilson's attempts to scare you off with his deplorable red-baiting McCarthyite methods must not be allowed to divide the trade union movement. If you are not in a port, get your Solidarity Committee to contact the NUS Disputes Committee in the nearest port; ask for speakers and information, and tell them what you are doing on their behalf. Equip yourselves with the seamen's case, by obtaining copies of the pamphlet, "Not Wanted On Voyage", price 1/9, from NUS Disputes Committee,
8, Posterngate, Hull, (Tels Hull 35191)
* Issued as a leaflet by the Hull Solidarity with the Seamen Committee,
.8, Posterngate,Hull. June 23rd.