Why Tories want to give pickets the heave-ho

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OVER a hundred years ago, a Tory government tried to make picketing illegal. government. elected in 1970. same. Now the Thatcher government, the Prior proposals, is attempting to restrict one of the most basic weapons of the working class — the right to effective picketing.

In 1871, the Tories introduced the Criminal Law Amendment Act, which bears a striking resemblance to Prior's law. The Act made illegal "threats or molestation'; 'watching or besetting premises', or 'persistent following'. Now the proposed legislation 'intimidation' and 'secondary picketing'.

The Tories continually try to introduce these laws in an attempt to deal with the activities of the working class through the criminal courts. Picketing becomes a crime, and the punishment is imprisonment.

The Heath tried to do the through outlaw such pickets illegal 'Bah' to a group of scabs.

under Heath's building workers down production.

warehouse. trade unions picketing thousands of workers