OCCUPY! (for distribution details contact Other Cinema, 01-734 8508), is one of the few sentous attempis to record working class history on celluloid.
tne him, airected by Dohany, reconstructs the history of the occupations of the Fisherвелах тастогу, near a verDood from the threat of massive redundancies in 1972 to Tony Denn s accision to set up a workers cooperative in 1974. Three separate are used: documentary footage shot by Granada TV ạt the time; interviews with the workers involved, taken last year; and a reconstruction of the events by the Everyman Theatre Company.
The effect of these three intermeshed methods is an exciting and graphic presentation of how it felt to be involved in these events, and What means workers experiment with control over their own aves. pact of this experience is imprinted deeply in the minds of workers who, even after four years, recall these events as it they had happened yesterday.
This makes a sharp and deliberate contrast to the Granada newsreels which, although not unsympathetic, are incapable of capturing the essence of this experience. There are weaknesses in this method, however. The theatre sections ony occasional acco our understanding of what is going on. vore orten mev simoy reconstuc events which are presented more vividly in the recollections of the workers themselves.
failure LOCS this. The central problem with the film, and one which the use of dramatic reconstruction have overcome, is the absence of any critical analysis.
ANARCHY The anarchy of Fisher-Bendix, under its successive owners. Is verv east But it may often be good nosontarsino an oficer or exoro Trades Council, followed an night before escort, a delivery of oil was made al tree o clock in me mome. m spite of the many witnesses eager charged.
No such reticence on the part of ine Dovs in arresting pickets have acourtec Decause could orter no evidence has been launched on their behalt Randolph management. but thei are being deliberately dragged out by the hotel bosses.
has promised to deeper than At the Linton strike is in its fifth week. Manage ment have torn out phones and cut could off electricity to the staff house management to create massive re•undances parent in the film that there were people making a lot of money out of the 'troubles' at Fisher-Bendix.
Above all, although we begin to stanare understand DENT GROSS pushing and have but all trade | London on Monday to fight for a support for strikes has been widespread in the ations] Commitee resorators rickers nave been maintained by strikers and Oxford.
there was some difference between the first and second occupations, the distinct issues of workers control, participation and cooperaThe Fisher-Bendix workers, like Upper Clyde Shipbuilders, were WHAT'S ON BENGALI FRIENDS SAM THE MAN• CASIS To-minut on tne ever popul question happened to th will be spendir Tickets 25p or E1 for book been for
S REDMEEKLT 22 DOM 137 ment. means of bringing an 'If the trade unions will seize the opportunity and if women will respond, there is no reason why the Bill should not be exploitation of women's work.' This was Barbara Castle's promise in 1970. The Equal Pay and Sex Discimination Acts are now one year old. And the picture of their achievement built up by the labour and women's movement bears little resemblance to this rosy forecast by the Labour Governto an era of financial caused by the cost of equal pay was still redundancy".
Restructuring involving part-time work has also been used to get round equal pay. Last year the Agricultural Wages Board gave equal pay to women, but also introduced a new part-time rate for those working less than 30 hours a week. The new part ON
----- pull-quotes -----
nent, andare a fron une Boy Box 4272, mondon Wo
Little Newport Street, Lon BRITISH Ethiopian informatio