Crisis In Print

Back in 1986, the Sentinel ran a special feature on an on-going dispute that had caused 6,000 people to come out on strike and would result in 1,262 people being arrested over its duration.  Following on from the miners’ strike, it is remembered as one of the most bitter and violent disputes in British Industrial history.  On the 24^th January 1986, nearly 6,000 newspaper workers went on strike following the collapse of talks on News International’s plans to move its editorial and printing operations to a new plant in East London at Wapping.  The Wapping dispute escalated swiftly with the striking workers being dismissed and the move to Wapping going ahead using newly employed staff, leading to mass demonstrations.  Whilst newspaper owners such as Robert Murdoch were keen to present the issue as powerful print unions trying to hold back technological progress, others saw it very much as an attack on the existence of unions and the rights of workers.

The Sentinel tried to include a balance of national issues alongside local reporting, and also recognised that some of the issues affecting the press at a national level could have implications for local journalism.  And it also encouraged local residents to feel that they still had a voice and could take practical action to influence national decision making.  So in April 1986 it published interviews with two union representatives: Brenda Dean from SOGAT (Society of Graphic and Associated Trades) and Harry Conroy from the National Union of Journalists.

Brenda Dean wanted to point out that the unions were not against new technology and that SOGAT had wanted to move into Wapping.  However part of the new deal for workers was changes to working practices, no- strike clauses etc.  For SOGAT she said, the dispute was fundamentally about

 ”Our members’ right to belong to a trade union of their choice, to be democratically represented and to negotiate about their terms and conditions of future employment and their future job prospects.”

You can read her interview in full here.

Harry Conroy was dealing both with Rupert Murdoch and Robert Maxwell as the general secretary of the NUJ.  In a more wider ranging interview he discusses the press in Scotland as well as the concern that the Wapping dispute is an attack by Mr Murdoch on the ability of trade unions to represent their members.

 ”All we’re saying is that as an employer, he should behave by certain standards.  And he certainly isn’t behaving by our standards.”

He also shares his memories on producing a community newspaper back in 1973 when he published the Pollock News and then helped with the Shawlands News.  You can read his interview in full here.

As well as keeping people in Wester Hailes informed about what was going on, the Sentinel tapped into the campaign to boycott News International publications.  The Rep Council had already voted in favour of approaching Community Enterprises to ask that the community owned Carousel chip shop stop selling the Sun, News of The World and the Times until Murdoch agreed to sit down and negotiate with the unions.  Sentinel readers were urged to use their spending power to send a message by refusing to purchase Murdoch papers.  Local residents gave their views here.

Despite a sustained campaign of demonstrations, News International did not lose a single night of production during the strike.  Just over a year later, the strike was fading and the unions were facing bankruptcy and court action.  By 1988, all national newspapers had followed Rupert Murdoch away from Fleet Street to the newly-developed Docklands, and adopted new, cheaper computerised printing technology.  Part of a larger political landscape that sought the demise of trade union influence and power, those standing against Wapping found little support or sympathy from those in government.  With the huge expansion of media sources online and its up to the minute accessibility, the era of print journalism is facing a less certain future than ever.  Looking back from recent events there are some commentators who suggest that what Wapping should really be remembered for was the advent of a much closer co-operative relationship between government, police, lawyers and some newspaper owners that could be said to have led all the way to the phone hacking scandals.

Polling Direct Action

There are few pieces of legislation that can still evoke such strong reactions as the innocuously titled Community Charge.  More infamously known as the Poll Tax, this new form of taxation would prove to have profound and far reaching effects not anticipated during its formulation.  It was brought in as a result of the Local Government Finance Act in 1988 to replace the Domestic Ratings System, and implemented a flat rate tax on everyone regardless of income.  Whilst reductions were available for those on a low income, everyone had to pay at least 20%.  In Scotland, the poll tax is also particularly remembered as being introduced a year earlier than in the rest of the UK.

In November 1987 when the proposal of the poll tax had become a reality, the Sentinel focused one of its Street Sentinel reports on whether people would pay the new tax.  You can see the results here.  The following year the paper again alerted its readers to the new tax on the horizon with information from Edinburgh District Council on how local residents would be affected and what everyone would have to pay.  As in hundreds of communities, people in Wester Hailes held protests about the new tax but the following year, the first community charge bills landed on people’s doorsteps.

Those who could not afford to pay faced debt and anxiety with bills and reminder letters piling up. Local authorities took legal action in an effort to collect some of what was owed, leading in Scotland to a sharp rise in the number of warrant sales.  The Sentinel had previously highlighted the plight of people facing warrant sales back in October 1988 prior to the poll tax’s implementation.  Sometimes described as legal break-ins, warrant sales auctioned off a debtor’s possessions in order to recoup a debt.  A local resident shared her story, describing vividly the humiliation and misery the warrant sale process created.  With the arrival of the poll tax, there would have been many similar stories in the area.

As well as people being unable to pay, there was a growing anti poll tax movement with people able to pay but choosing not to as a form of protest.  “Can Pay, Won’t Pay” quickly gathered momentum and politicians both local and national found themselves at the sharp end of the question Are you paying the Poll Tax, knowing that their answer would be of media interest.  When new councillor Margaret McCulloch was interviewed by the Sentinel, she was asked if she was paying the poll tax.  She stated that she was, saying that as the council was asking others to pay, she felt she had a responsibility to do the same.  Meanwhile another local councillor John Mulvey argued that the only way to defeat the tax was through a mass campaign of agitation and he refused to pay.

By the end of 1990, more than 1 million Scots had refused to pay their community charge.  Huge waves of protest swept across England and Wales as the tax was introduced that year. Whilst 50,000 people marched in Glasgow on March 31^st 1990 relatively peacefully, the day will really be remembered for the 100,000 strong demonstration in London that led to the worst riots in the city of the 20^th century.  The poll tax is regarded by many as being a key factor in Margaret Thatcher’s resignation in November 1990.  It also led to arguments within the Labour party with those on the left wing of the party challenging the official opposition response.  A relatively short lived piece of legislation, it has managed to attain legendary status.

Perhaps the anti poll tax campaign’s biggest achievement was that it brought together a diverse range of protesters many of whom had never contemplated direct action before: pensioners, church congregations, local workers, high earners all felt strongly enough about the injustice of the tax to take a stand.  And with it being a tax implemented on all, being able to withhold payment made protesting both simple and effective.  The broad range and sheer volume of non payers made successful collection impossible.  Whilst many people may feel a similar sense of injustice over the Welfare Benefit reforms, there are fewer options available to show their protest.  And of course, the reforms divide rather than unite.

Towards Peace

“At the moment we are constructing a society of militarism, of secrecy, of nationalism, of injustice and of profitability…”

As well as covering local issues, the Sentinel tried to look outwards bringing a wider context and global issues to the attention of people living in Wester Hailes. In 1984, one of the major concerns causing much debate and controversy was the issue of nuclear disarmament.  The resurgence of the Cold War during the 1980s had galvanised opinion on the pros and cons of nuclear weapons.  The Campaign For Nuclear Disarmament saw a sharp rise in membership and found new alliances in the promotion of its cause.

In 1984, Monsignor Bruce Kent the General Secretary of CND, came to Edinburgh as a guest of the miners at their Gala for Peace.  The Sentinel were able to secure an interview with him the day before the miners’ gala.  He talks about the issue of the miners’ strike, the myths around nuclear power, the importance of creating a new society based on genuine community and the need to spend money on social welfare rather than social destruction.  He also had words of encouragement for the newly formed CND group in Wester Hailes saying “never lose heart”.

You can read the whole interview here at Sentinel August 1984.

 

Action Success!

Sentinel October 1997

We’ve been following the progress of the debate over pedestrian access to the new Healthy Living Centre that is currently under construction in Wester Hailes.  It became clear to local residents last year that access to the new centre had not been designed as fit for purpose, relying on an existing underpass that was not fully accessible for anyone with a disability or for parents with pushchairs.  The story has been featured in the blog as the fight to improve this underpass is not a new one, dating right back to 1996 when it was partially blocked, forcing everyone to use steep stairs to continue using the underpass which was simply not an option suitable for everyone as this story in the Sentinel showed. 

 Despite community efforts at the time to have the underpass improved, it remained in this state until this year.  However, the arrival of the Healthy Living Centre required improved access routes.  Although the planners had designed a potential solution, it was within a restricted space and seemed unsatisfactory to local residents who felt it was inadequate to meet the needs of the community.  The Community Council pushed for new negotiations with the owners of the Plaza over the use of car parking space.  They also asked for a public joint meeting of the two Neighbourhood Partnerships to look at other possible options and to ensure that local councillors and council officers heard the views of the community directly.  And they publicised the meeting thoroughly to ensure people knew the meeting was taking place.  It was clear from the high attendance and from the views expressed that an alternative access proposal was wanted by the community.

 The City Council recognised the strength of local feelings over the issue and relooked at the proposals.  At last week’s community council meeting, local representatives heard that the matter was now due to go to a full Edinburgh City Council meeting where the expectation was that a new proposal would be approved in full.  This would ensure that the underpass had proper pedestrian access through a straight low gradual slope so that it would be suitable for all abilities and needs.  Without the efforts and persistence of the Community Council it seems unlikely that this would have been the end result.  It’s great to know that Wester Hailes still has a strong voice and the ability to influence decisions that affect the community.

Inspiring Futures

When we look back at the era in which the Sentinel was first launched, we can see huge differences from today despite the relatively short time span.  Just over 40 years ago a woman would still have been extremely unlikely to be granted a mortgage unless they could secure the signature of a male guarantor.  The Equal Pay Act of 1970 had come into force by 1975.  Also becoming law was the Sex Discrimination Act, and the Employment Protection Act which introduced statutory maternity provision and made it illegal to sack a woman because she was pregnant.  These rights and others were hard-won through protests, marches and campaigns such as the women Ford machinists who took strike action over unequal pay. 

 From its early days, the Sentinel was keen to give space to women’s issues and established a column in  1981 which was titled The Opposition.  In 1982 the column reported on women undertaking manual trades.  At that time, there were only 3 women in the whole of Edinburgh in this area of employment.  And only one woman in the whole of the East of Scotland had started on an apprenticeship with the Construction Industry Training Board.  The column noted that despite the efforts being made by schools to encourage young people to access a wide range of activities, extending career expectations for young women was still challenging.  You can read this column here at Sentinel June 1982. 

 By 1983 the column had a new name and reported on the Greenham Common campaign and a day of action supported by 30,000 women including 6 coach loads from Edinburgh.  You can read this article in full by clicking here on New Horizons. 

 The column changed again in 1984 being re-named The Women’s Angle.  In this edition, March 1984, Greenham Common featured again alongside an article about fashion. 

 A dedicated women’s column then becomes a bit hit and miss with a women’s page makes an appearance for a few issues before fading away.  The page for July 1984 highlights a proposed tax on child benefit and encourages readers to lobby local MPS and councillors in protest at the potential change.  It also features girls’ clubs at Clovenstone and the range of activities on offer for girls at the community centre. 

 After the mid 1980s, a page or column for women ceases to be included.  It might have been a resource issue with no-one available to co-ordinate a regular feature focused on women.  Or it could have been that it was felt that women’s rights were now established and the need for a separate focus was no longer required.  Certainly the paper continued to cover local women’s achievements, particularly in areas of training and employment.  And from the early days of Wester Hailes, women played key roles in developing and managing community activity and the resulting committees and boards, featuring regularly within the Sentinel’s news reports. 

 Today is International Women’s Day, a day initiated in Britain back in the height of campaigning in 1977.  Every year it highlights the achievements women have made, but also the inequality and struggle many women face across the world.  This year’s international theme is Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures.  Women in Wester Hailes fought for a more inspiring future over the decades for the area and for themselves and their families.  Here in the UK, women are bearing the brunt of the recession as jobs and services are cut.  For example with women almost three times as likely to work part-time than men they are particularly affected by cuts to working tax credits.  Many are concerned that hard-won rights are being eroded and equality challenged, particularly for women in lower-income brackets and in areas such as Wester Hailes where barriers to employment are high. Perhaps women in Wester Hailes need to find new ways of getting their voices heard and new ways of mobilising for action.

For more information about women’s rights in the 1970s, the BBC Archive has compiled a collection of tv and radio clips which you can find here.

Betty The Brave

The Sentinel managed to balance its coverage between issues of national importance as well as giving up time and space to the people who made up the community of Wester Hailes.  We’ve already featured a couple of names from the past who appeared on its pages.  This week, we’re able to take a look at a local resident who represented both local and national concerns in her campaigning role. 

Campaigning for older people's free travel on public transport

In 1985, the then Secretary of State for Social Services, Norman Fowler MP was conducting a review of social security with a view to making cuts.  Betty Fulton was the Wester Hailes representative of the Scottish Old Age Pensioners Association which sought to influence social policy affecting older people.  With concern mounting over the scale and potential impact of the proposed cuts and what that would mean for pensioners, Betty became involved with city and region wide campaigning organisations who were organising a week of action co-ordinated with similar action in other parts of the country.  This included occupying the headquarters of Scottish Conservative Party which brought publicity to their campaign, giving them a chance to highlight the seriousness of the anticipated changes. 

 It also took her to London for a protest rally where she was interviewed for BBC Radio’s News At One.  Betty had clear views about the effects of the Conservative Government’s policies and in particular about Margaret Thatcher.  When asked by the BBC reporter what good it would do coming all the way down from Scotland to London to campaign on an almost certainly lost battle, she pointed out that Britain was supposed to include Scotland and that Margaret Thatcher had done nothing for the people of Scotland. 

 Although written 27 years ago, this article surely still has relevance for us today.  Betty talks about the hardships facing Wester Hailes where the proposed welfare cuts will affect practically every home.  She reflects on how difficult it is for young people, leaving school with no prospect of a job.  And she is concerned about the loss of hope she is observing as people feel they have no influence or power to change the situation being faced.  Reaching out across time, she is able to remind us of what life was like before 1945, before the Welfare State existed, before the implementation of the Beveridge Report.  As a child, she saw what happened to those who were poor and elderly, having to enter Poor Houses which weren’t completely abolished until 1948 with the demise of the Poor Law system.  It was the memory of those terrible conditions that gave her the impetus to continue fighting for a decent standard of living for all and to call on others to stand with her.

 You can read Betty’s interview in full by clicking here on Sentinel December 1985. 

Give Us A Future

It was announced yesterday that unemployment figures were at their highest since 1996 and that youth unemployment had reached the 1 million mark.  In the early 1980s young people in Wester Hailes faced an uncertain future.  It was estimated that as many as 70% were unemployed in 1981.  Government employment schemes came and went during the 1970s and 1980s: Youth Opportunities Programme, Special Temporary Employment Programme, Community Enterprise Programme. 

In 1981, young people from the area took part in the “Jobs For Youth” campaign that took them across the UK in a week of protests and marches.  Buff Thomas wrote about her experience in the Sentinel and about her encounter with Mrs Thatcher.  When Buff asked her why young people taking part in the Youth Opportunity Programme were not entitled to free prescriptions, Mrs Thatcher helpfully replied “at your age you shouldn’t be sick anyway”.   You can read Buff’s report by clicking on Jobs Express.

More young people took part the following year, this time on a campaign around Scotland.  You can read about their experience and their meeting with Tom Clark MP by clicking on Jobs For Youth March

The Wester Hailes community sought to make a difference, with local structures offering placements, training posts and employment.  The report Wester Hailes: Ten Years On charts these developments noting that Wester Hailes utilised YOP schemes.  Wester Hailes Community Enterprises Ltd became a major sponsor of the Community Enterprises Programme. 

Wester Hailes developed its own Youth Opportunities Programme via a community service scheme. They could do little about the poor levels of allowance given to young people taking part but WHYOPS tried to give them additional support.  It was one of the few programmes to have its own Welfare Officer and to take a broader approach, recognising that trainees needed to learn life skills as well as specific work experience.  You can read a report on WHYOPS here at a Chance For Youth.

In 1992, the Wester Hailes Youth Training Scheme faced cuts to a level that meant it could no longer continue.  Over the years it had provided training for hundreds of young people. Despite an appeal for new funding, the project closed its doors in June 1992.