South Yorkshire Times, May 9th, 1970
Pay Grouse Brings Pickets Out In Force
Two Dearne area clothing factories were brought to a standstill on Tuesday following an unofficial strike over a wage claim. The strike followed reports that two South Kirkby clothing factories had been brought to a standstill the previous day when workers at Invicta Mills, and later employees at Messrs. Jonee Woollies Ltd, walked out over a pay dispute. The Dearne stoppage began when about 150 workers – most of them women – walked out from the Co-operative Hosiery factory, Carr Head Lane, Bolton. Many of them moved on to the nearby Corah (St Margaret) factory to picket against their fellow union members who were still at work.
80 per cent
After a meeting of union representatives and employees of the Lowfield Lane factory, about 400 Corah workers, over 80 per cent of the total personnel, also decided to strike. The stoppage is against a five per cent increase accepted by their union – the National Union of Hosiery Workers – which should come into effect in July with a further five per cent increase in January. The strikers feel that these increases are not high enough. They want a 20 per cent increase on the basic rate.
“No Good to Us”
“A five per cent increase is no good to us,” said one woman picket outside the Corah Bolton factory. “That would only mean 1s. in the £. We want 20 per cent.”
The pickets claimed that their union representatives had let them down by reaching an agreement without their backing: “We have tried to get in contact with our union representative to organise talks, but we have been told that he cannot see us, so we have unanimously agreed to come out on strike. I know it is hitting at the management, but it is the only thing we can do.”
Said another woman, “Married women cannot be expected to work for 2s 11d an hour. We want a minimum of £9. At the moment this job has one of the lowest starting rates in the country.”
A Petition
“We have got all the girls to sign a petition protesting about this. We have been debating what to do for a week. We have reached the point where we can take no more.”
In a statement, a managerial spokesman for Corah said: “The factory was picketed for support by representatives from other factories in the industry who withdrew their labour on Monday.
The dispute appears to be with the Hosiery Union, who have negotiated a five per cent increase for their members but certain members were not satisfied and withdrew their labour. This company however, is in a different position, as we negotiated a separate agreement with the Hosiery Union, and this agreement was implemented on January 1st, 1970.”
Return to Work
At a meeting on Wednesday after talks with their Union representative and the management, Corah employees agreed to return to work today (Friday) although fellow union members at other factories may remain on strike.
In a statement after the meeting Corah Ltd., said: “At a meeting addressed by Mr. A. Green, Northern Divisional Secretary of the National Union of Hosiery Workers, a resolution was passed that although there is no dispute between workers and management at Corah, employees would withdraw their labour in sympathy with employees of other companies. But all Corah workers will return to work on Friday.”
Mr. H. O. Gibson, General Secretary of the National Union of Hosiery Workers told the “South Yorkshire Times” yesterday (Thursday): “We are holding a meeting at Cudworth tonight when general president of the union, Mr. Prendergast, will be willing to meet any union member from the area who has any problems.”