SPECIAL BRANCH Special Report 2nd day of May 1986 SUBJECT: South East Region TUC 1. On Thursday 1st May 1986 the South East Region Trades Union Council in conjunction with the Labour Party 'Joint May Day Committee' held a march and rally to show solidarity with the sacked 'News International' print print workers. 2. The participants formed up at Tower Hill Underground Station during the early evening and by the time they moved off at 9.00 pm numbered approximately 3,000 persons. The march consisted of approximately 1,000 from various left-wing factions, 5-600 Turks separated into two equal sized opposing groups and about 1,500 trade unionists who were mainly printworhers. Paper sellers for Class War, Socialist Worker, New Worker and Militant were present. 3. The march made its way via East Smithfield and The Highway, leaving as usual some demonstrators to block the road at Thomas More Street, to Wellclose Square where the rally was to take place. In the eventually some 300 demonstrators remained at Wellclose Square to hear the speeches. The remainder were urged to carry on down to Glamis Road in order to effectively block all exits for distribution lorries from the Wapping plant. As the march passed Breezers Hill there was a brief pause when some disorder broke out, missiles were thrown and shield serials deployed. 4. At the rally in Wellclose Square the following persons spoke: Ron MATES MP castigated Rupert Murdoch and suggested that such a man, being a United States citizen, should be deported. He called upon all trade unionists to halt distribution of 'News International' publications, and prevent movement of newsprint and ink. He said that in his opinion SOGAT, NGA were making too many concessions to 'News International' in their negotiations. Ben RUBNER of the Furniture, Timber and Allied Trade Unions spoke of the Silentnight dispute and called for a boyott of Silentnight products. He suggested that everyone present check their bed when they got home and if it was a Silentnight bed should throw it away.Apologies were then made for the absence of Jack JONES who was recovering from a throat operation, but nonetheless sent fraternal greetings to those present. Jim KNAPP of the National Union of Railwaymen pledged the solidarity of railway workers with the printworkers, which was the cause of some derision and heckling from the crowd. He said that if trade unionists had stood their ground at Warrington during the Eddie SHAH dispute Napping could never have occurred. Dave GALLOP (phonetic) of GCHQ outlined the current situation in their struggle, and stressed that the Government had said that membership of a trade union was not compatible with national security. He also said that trade union members at GCHQ were being harassed and discriminated against in promotions and job appointments. Ken CAMERON of the Fire Brigades Union said that trade unionists should be talking to the police rather than abusing them. He couldn't believe that ordinary policemen enjoyed being used as the Government's shock troops against the miners, printworhers and now prison officers. He felt that policemen must object to being used for political purposes, and should be given the opportunity to say so. John PRESCOTT MP spoke both as Shadow Spokesman on Employment and as a representative of the National Union of Seaman. He pointed out that the NUS had given the miners total backing during their strike, and could always be relied upon to show such solidarity. He then castigated Government trade union legislation and said that everyone present must work and vote for the return of a Labour Government at the next General Election if the balance was to be redressed. 5. As previously stated only some 300 persons remained at Wellclose Square to listen to the speeches. The remainder moved on to Glamis Road, where throughout the evening scuffles took place between police and demonstrators and missiles were thrown. Distribution lorries were unable to leave the Wapping plant until after midnight, when the scene of the action moved back to the Wellclose Square end of The Highway. At about0030 hours serious disorder broke out, horses were deployed, and 33 arrests made. Sixteen police officers on cordon duties were slightly injured, but only one who was struck in the face with a brick was detained in hospital for observation, and he has since been released. Much of the disorder appeared to be due to the effect of alcohol, rather than politically motivated. 6. By 0100 hours order had been restored and by 0200 hours serials were being stood down. Details of the 33 arrests will be the subject of a separate report. 7. In the context of the Wapping dispute the print-workers must consider this a successful demonstration. In the wider context of the solidarity of the trades union movement it was somewhat of a debacle in that the South East Region TUC and the Labour Party organised a May Day rally with a number of guest speakers who were virtually abandoned and had to speak to a skeleton audience while most of those present confronted police three-quarters of a mile away at Glamis Road. 8. Appendix 'A' to this report gives details of banners carried by those taking part in the march, and Appendix 'B' details of speakers with Special Branch references where appropriate. XX Detective Sergeant Submitted: Chief Inspector Chief SuperintendentAPPENDIX 'A' To Special Branch report dated 2.5.86 concerning a march and rally held on 1.5.36 by SERTUC and the 'Joint May Day Committee'. The following banners were carried by those taking part: Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers Long Live May Day Fleet Street AUEW Daily & Sunday Telegraph AUEW Sogat - London Central Branch NATSOPA News of World - SOGAT Publishing Chapel SOGAT 82 - Deptford Depot WH Smith - Peckham Chapel WHS - Kings Cross SOGAT Times Publishing Branch SOGAT Clerical Chapel Daily Mirror Warehouse Chapel NGA - various branches COHSE NUPENALGO ASTMS GCHQ Morning Star Communist Party Trades Councils - Brent, Hammersmith, Greenwich Socialist Workers Party Workers Revolutionary Party Revolutionary Communist Party Fire Brigades Union Turkish Communist Party Turkish Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist) Union of Turkish Workers Association of Turkish Women in London Turkish Community CentreAPPENDIX 'B' To Special Branch report dated 2.5.36 concerning a march and rally held on 1.5.86 by SERTUC and the 'Joint May Day Committee'. The following persons were Speakers at the rally: Name SB(R) Ron MATES MP Ben RUBNER FTATU - XXXX Jim KNAPP - NUR XXX Dave GALLOP - GCHQ {phonetic} Unable to Identify Ken CAMERON FBU XXX John PRESCOTT MP