SPECEAL BRANCH THREAT ASSESSMENT NEWS PRINT DISPUTE DAILY OVERVIEW TUESDAY 27TH MAY 1986 1. The demonstration at Wapping on Saturday 24th May 1986 showed a slight resurgence of support after the previous Saturday's abysmal turn- out, with 1200 on the march from Tower Hill and a maximum of 1500 demonstrators at Wapping once the march had joined up with those already present. This had been advertised as a 'Welsh' night, and four coaches came up from Wales with demonstrators to show their solidarity with the printers. Their main contribution was to provide a so-called choir to entertain and encourage the troops, but the singing was definitely not of a professional standard. Left-wing organisations were well represented as usual. 2. Although numbers were up on the previous Saturday it was a quieter night with only seven arrests and three police officers injured. Attempts to block The Highway were made after distribution lorries had left without hindrance, but these were unsuccessful. 3. For the first time a mass picket was called at the News International's Glasgow plant on the same night. Five hundred persons took part, of whom 200 were said to be from left-wing organisations, mainly Socialist Workers Party, Militant and the Communist Party. Three persons were arrested and one police officer injured by a flying brick, but no hindrance was caused to distribution of the papers. 4. Following two days of 'secret' talks between Rupert Murdoch and the print unions an improved offer has been made to the unions in an attempt to settle the dispute. This will lapse unless accepted by Friday, or by the completion of a ballot held before 6th June 1986. Amongst other things the new office would give greater compensation to dismissed printers; a review of the question of union recognition at News International plants in 12 months time; no dismissed printer to be excluded from future employment with News International by reason of his dismissal, and further premises at Grays Inn Road to be included in the package. 5. Brenda DEAN of SOGAT '82, Tony DUBBINS of the NGA and Norman WILLIS of the TUC are attempting to retain their union credibility by saying on the one hand that they cannot recommend acceptance to members who must decide for themselves, and on the other that union negotiators believed that the offer made was the final one and would not be bettered. 6. Nonetheless the print unions are disappointed in that the dispute has been about union recognition, and employment of union members, at Wapping,SPECIAL BRANCH THREAT ASSESSMENT and this offer still firmly excludes that possibility at present. Brenda DEAN will now put the offer to a ballot of her members, and Tony DUBBINS will tomorrow seek the authority from his members to put the matter to a ballot. The outcome of such a ballot is uncertain in that the realistic majority will probably vote for acceptance, but a substantial militant minority will vote to reject the offer and refuse to accept the wishes of the majority, claiming to have been betrayed by the union leadership. 7. However, until the result of the ballot is known some of the tension will be taken out of the dispute as it manifests itself at Wapping, even if not as it manifests itself in factional rivalry between print workers and their union leadership. It is unlikely therefore that the demonstration and march from Tower Hill to Wapping on Wednesday 28th May 1986 will be any different to previous occasions, with a maximum of 500 persons taking part. 8. There will be a 'mass picket' on Wednesday 28.5.86 from 12 noon to 2.00 pm outside the Press Association in Fleet Street in an attempt to stop 'scab copy' from going to Wapping from there. There are also two meetings the same evening at St Brides Institute, St Brides Lane, EC1 The first by the Rank and File Printworkers Group is in the Large Hall from 7pm, and will call for, among other things, 'the right to elect a strike committee that is accountable to strikers'. At the same time the Socialist Workers Party will hold a meeting in the Small Hall on the subject of the print dispute. 9. Finally the Claimants Union are advertising Friday 30th May 1986 as 'unemployed night' at Wapping, but at present it is not clear whether this will have any significant effect on numbers of demonstrators. A further assessment will be submitted should any additional information come to hand regarding this matter. Chief Superintendent COSB 27.5.86