THE British-owned Ever Ready firm has sacked 160 striking Homen workers in Elizabeth, South TeDOrS KONAR GARR.
Some 300 Coloured women WaIKeO out demanding improved pay and commuuns and recogninon tor their union, the National Union of Motor Assembly and Rubber Workers of South Africa.
Many returned to work but more than half stayed out; defying company LATCAE CISIISSSL for breach contract.
The union has said that it will for international strike action from its international affiliates and in Ever Ready plants if the company sacks the In Britain the Association of Scientific, Technical Port Managerial Staffs has Africa, letter of protest to Ever Ready.
As we went to press ASTMS members in the West Midlands, week, where the union organises three out of every four of Ever Ready s plants, were meeting to discuss the possibility of local SOnGan aCTOn.
They might bear in mind the example of workers Unilever multinational.
of lever workers Demark, Finland, Italy, Sri Lanka and Zealand recently staged hour long solidarity strikes in protest al the company's refusal te recognise black trade unions in South Africa.
and sent a company's ANDY the pamphlet.
extent to which ICL systems are used in the repression of the black population, the pamphlet Uni- exposes the Sweden, ween the apologetic tions made by British directors, Norway, who claim 'that ICL computers helped the Bantu population", and the management proclaim that 'we have decided to support South Africa OUSIHCSS. people'.
ICL, despite a 25 per National shareholding, acts contrary to British government policy supplying SYSECIS administration of Namibia and Transkei.
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But the question for ICL is the role of its Rhodesian subsidiary.
union representatives October that it had contact with CEne subsidiary questions of personnei, Il admitted later that this subsidiary had been agem tor tic oracr or two 2905 computers by Malawi.
But it strongly denied reports the naL sne longer in Malawi!
CUne cven ur unis is tne limit ol ICL's contact with Rhodesia, CUL. SMe ICl stil has questions to answer about its COll- subsidiary important being ConDal Call ODe aie HeerEn name of International CompuThe and LOIS ORCI computers that it can neither wide organised and will be ANTI APARTHEID's new pamphlet 'Computerising will aid in Computers Limited by illustrating the depth of the involvement with BLUNDELL, representatives who met ICL last week to challenge the company over its South African involvement, reviews As well as documenting the make nor import.
ment says pamphlet discrepancy betjustificaLOEHA with South Africa'.
South African OPPOSITION who openly But government and the pamphlet It also points to the way that publicise cent Enterprise SBOaTe ving and, if for the and bring it to heel.
most awkward ASTMS, Although the company told on 31 the company plays, only welfare African work the CONTRACTS The machines were no recognise individuals not to La number for trade the most COuntes. how TOI SalE prevent the apparatus of the union The Anti Apartheid Movehopes this will *stimulate vigorous campaign which will result in the termination of all by computer companies nor nae!
Apartheid appears to think that needs only to the involvement ICL in South Africa and tack on the end a list of demands for the company to stop misbeha it won't. for the government to investigate ICL the pamphlet one would get no idea that there is any opposition to the South African connection among the workrorce and that the largest union in ICL, and TASS have repeatedly sought to question the role let alone that workers inside ICL - even extending if only in small numbers as yet - are refusing to handle South on Saturday unions in ICL are already pressing the company the right of WOIK OR and South African contracts and for a review of their trading policies and their implications WaLL LU witn progressive response We also recognise that the immediate fight within ICL will not in all likelihood bring about a withdrawal of ICL but may company ICL computers help to maintain the repression in South Africa the range technological assistalice The delegates from ICL who will be attending the conference called by Anti Apartheid in Manchester will obviously be wanting both to relate their own experiences of against -icar TROTT other people's struggle But the main lesson we wil other INDIESSOL delegates is not so much the that our initiatives received from our members as the need to build a network of militants at rank and file level if one is to successfully challenge any major company.
The role of such a network in ICL would be to organise a group able to take action challenging company s South African connections, as well SuildL 2 publishing their implications.
Such a network is already developing as a result of the campaign against ICL's decision to supply computers to the South African police.
Anu Apartncia can play a very valuable role in helping to build this - DIL ONV recognises that it is only the labour movement and not the government that is likely to be both willing and able to force companies like ICL to forego the profits from apartheid