reacning activity, For the past six weeks an official strike by 42 printers and compositors at the Sharm newspaper group based in Peterborougn nas been the tocus ot resistance over the in troduction of new technology, which now threatens the permanent loss of tens of thousands of jobs in the newspaper industry. Sharman's have introduced optical char acter recognition, which enables journalists and typists to directly set editorial and advertising copy, eliminating most of the jobs done by members of the National Grano redundancy, and refuses to pay NGA rates to the women now setting copy.
While Sharman's are setting the pace for the whole of the provincial press - aided by joumalists on the staff, who last week voted 24 to 11 to ignore an instruction from the NUJ executive to take supportive strike action - the concern of printwork was opened, £1,500 had been received. But so far no solidarity action has been taken. To help organise this - as well as to determine the demands necessary to confront the new tecnnoiogy — a meeting tor print, press, and publishing workers in London wa: organised this week by the action committee elected by last month's conference on redundancy and closure in the industry. DEFEND WORKERS' COLLEGE On 11 June the governors of Fircroft College in Birmingham, one of seven adult education colleges in the country, announced the closure of the college follows three months of crisis at the college after a decision by the 56 students mostly trade unionists, to set up their own education programme - in collaboration with the teaching staff, but excluding the college principal, A.J. Crosfield, from all The students took this decision after it became clear that the teaching staff were being prevented from expressing their own views on trade union education at the college. Rather than sit back and listen to the usual clap-trap about how unions and management should collaborate, the students demanded and put into operation their own democratically decided education policy, which they believe will better serve the interests of the labour movement. Since then democratic plenary sessions have been held every week to review the programme.
This is all too much for Cadbury's the chocolate manufacturers, who established the college in 1909 and still control it although the college is 96.5 per cent govern ment financed. As one governor lamented, 'the students have become ungovernable' The students are campaigning in the local labour movement for support to keep the college open. Birmingham Trades Council has endorsed a motion from Fircroft conege As tivo branch, and a demonstration was due to take place on 25 June Messages of support should be rushed to: Fircroft Students Union/Fircroft ASTMS Branch, 1018 Bristol Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham 29 (tel. 021 - 472 - 1490). hodo, orckiewoog tyvhiesden Green tuber. Ent onusn army nand in giove wu coyalst Assass namon squads-is neal mole in reland, opeaker vitea inciude memoer or brent trades counc:
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REVOLUTIONARY COMMUNIST GROUP publi meetino. London: Britain anc the irish Revolution Speakers: Frank Richards and Chris Davies. Frida 27 June. ? ZOom. he Roebuck oub. Tottenhan aton in Angola speaker tony Hodoes, ex-stat memoer or CrMAG. Venue: Metropolitan oub. 9.
ramringoon ha. lues 1 July. 7.30pm GREEK EVENING: Fund-raising party to aid wwas cast meanerranean work. Greek and Turk isn food, arink and music-ano pernaps a nim rood d entrance tt, entrance only zop. sat 20 June trom o ui late. At tne bank, olmers so ars nationalv is inaicatea ov tnewr Tinancial supoort rour davs auter
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NORTH WEST LONDON TOM: public meeting -Thurs 26 June, 7.30pm, in Anson Hall, Chichek
Court Road (Warren or Goodge St tubes; buses 14 24, 29, 73) LONDON SOCIALIST FORUM: The current situ