25 years on, Wapping is a ‘dispute that still inspires’ – Exhibition at the Marx Memorial Library

Published: 6th May, 2011
by PETER GRUNER

LEADING trade unionists have met in Islington for an exhibition marking 25 years since the sacking of 6,000 newspaper print workers involved in the 1986 Wapping dispute.

The exhibition, which continues throughout May, is at the Marx Memorial Library in Clerkenwell Green, home of many radical movements, including the Chartists, throughout history.

The 13-month Wapping dispute was one of the most important battles in modern British trade union history, pitching the sacked print workers against the might of newspaper tycoon Rupert Murdoch.

It began after Mr Murdoch, owner of The Sun, Sunday Times and the News of the World, moved production of his newspapers overnight from offices in Fleet Street to a secretly equipped new base at Wapping in Docklands.

This prompted industrial action, widespread hardships for strikers and running battles between police and demonstrators outside the plant.

Mr Murdoch always maintained he was trying to introduce new technology that would lead to a much wider diversity of ownership.

However, guests at the exhibition, including Tony Dubbins, former general secretary of the National Graphical Association, argued that, rather than improving newspapers, Mr Murdoch has since reduced their appeal. He added: “There are now fewer national newspapers and there’s a greater concentration of ownership of the press and media than in 1986.

“The proposed take­over of BSkyB by Murdoch will further reduce that diversity.”

Mr Dubbins spoke about the hardship endured by the strikers, including the break-up of families and even suicides.

“It was a dreadful time,” he said. “There was very little income from the unions so the financial strains on families were immense. There was lots of unemployment and a Tory government under Maggie Thatcher bringing in anti-union legislation.”

For John Bailey, then a print worker on The Sun, the dispute was about trade union solidarity. “It was very difficult times but there were also amazing friendships, unity and sense of purpose,” he said. “What a shame that 25 years on and we now have a press reduced to celebrity chasing.”

Many journalists refused to cross picket lines to work at the Murdoch newspapers.

Current general secretary of the National Union of Journalists, Jeremy Dear, said the dispute has had enormous consequences for every newsroom in the land.

He added: “Wapping delivered newspapers into the hands of corporations and accountants.

“Today we have a mainly compliant, corporate, profit-at-all-costs journalism at the expense of the truth or journalistic ethics.”

Staff shortages on newspapers mean that fewer reporters are able to cover local councils, which means democracy is under threat, he warned.

“Sadly, this is the era of ‘churnalism’, where reporters are often just bashing out PR puffs and press releases rather than chasing real news,” he said.

Michelle Stanistreet, 36, who will take over as the NUJ’s first woman general secretary in July, said: “Wapping is a dispute that continues to inspire people today. All the issues of that time 25 years ago are still relevant, in fact more so.

“I hope young journalists will study the dispute and try and learn from it.”

The exhibition has been staged with the help of trade union Unite. Its general secretary, Len McCluskey, said: “We must take inspiration from the struggle at Wapping, not to mournfully look backwards but to redouble our efforts to organise and to win for working people in this country as they face tremendous challenges to their living standards and rights.”

The exhibition is open Monday to Friday from 11am to 5pm. To find out more, go to www.marx-memorial-library.org