‘Wapping’ – 25th anniversary exhibition at the TUC – opens on 25
July, 2011
21 July 2011
As the storm over phone hacking engulfs Rupert Murdoch’s empire,
an exhibition is being staged that demonstrates that Murdoch’s ‘bad
behaviour’ has a history dating back quarter of a century.
The current web of deceit involving the political, media and
police establishments has echoes of the Wapping dispute 25 years
ago.
Wapping - one of the key industrial disputes of the Thatcher era
- will be graphically presented at the exhibition which moves to
the TUC Congress House, London WC1B 3LS. It will be open
Monday-Friday 10am-6pm from 25 July until 12
August.
It will then travel to other venues throughout the remainder of
2011, and other venues are under discussion for 2012.
News International – owners of The Times, Sunday Times, The Sun
and the now closed News of the World – used the vast wealth of the
Murdoch empire to facilitate the dash to Wapping, sacking thousands
of its staff overnight when it moved its operations to Wapping in
East London in January 1986.
While highlighting how the workers struggled for 13 months to
save their jobs and protect union rights, it also describes the
first alliance of company, police and Tory government, aided and
abetted by a ‘rogue’ trade union.
Dramatic images, photographs and accounts of the dispute will be
on display including the stunning letter from the company’s lawyers
advising how to create a dispute and sack an entire workforce with
legal impunity.
Unite general secretary Len McCluskey said: ”Who says that
history does not repeat itself? The phone hacking scandal
unveils for the first time the true scale and depth of News
International’s malign and corrosive influence within the
establishment.
”The hacking scandal is the logical continuation of the
machinations and mindset that created the anti-union Fortress
Wapping in 1986.
"This anniversary ought to be a reminder to all political
parties - as they consider how to prevent the media abuses we're
now witnessing - that a new framework of employment law and trade
union rights is essential to rebalance power in this
country.
”Not only would this make this country fully compliant with our
international obligations, and put working people in this country
on the same footing as their counterparts across Europe, it would
prevent the powerful from abusing their position in our lives.”
TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: ”The story of
Murdoch’s moonlight flit to Wapping 25 years ago is one that needs
to be remembered and retold.
”It is a story of betrayal, of connivance and of the use of
force against working people, but it is also a story of solidarity,
of determination and ingenuity in the face of massive
odds.
”Most importantly especially today, it is a reminder of
the lengths to which Murdoch and News International have gone
to get their way to extend their empire and influence, brooking no
opposition whether from workers or politicians.“
ENDS
Notes to news editors:
For further information please contact Unite communications
officer Shaun Noble on 07768 693940
TYhe News International dispute and current developments: Tony
Burke, Unite assistant general secretary (07831 659 939) and
Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary.
Re: the exhibition Ann Field 07831676587 or Barry White 07774
607419 or freepress@cpbf.org.uk; www.cpbf.org.uk
