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nion official xtorted cash'

3rd November 1979
Page 7
Page 7, 3rd November 1979 — nion official xtorted cash'
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

SPORT and General Workers ii n district secretary was fined £750 A eek after being convicted of extorig money from a haulier for a dispenti n to run during the drivers' strike this year.

K Imarnock Sheriff Court heard that s McCreadie had asked for £104 D Arran Transport and had attempted ract money from another firm at vi e, Ayrshire.

B t charges against Saltcoats district • tary William McCaig were found to it proven.

e cash had been paid to allow the rr n Transport company to run essenal supplies to the island of Arran ire ugh union picket lines.

e defence claimed that the money Fa the equivalent of the wages of a ri er and picket and because of the :ri e it would be unfair for them to be al while others were not.

eriff Reginald Levitt said that Arran ✓ nsport transport manager Robert Iil er and director Robert Haddow were Dli that the money would have to be au before the vehicles could move. "It tr.• a demand, if not expressly, at least by m lication. "It was an illegal demand and an illegal demand cannot be said to be a reasonable one," said Sheriff Levitt.

He decided that Mr McCreadie had been at the meeting where the demand was made and was there as an adviser to the strike committee with a duty to keep the committee on the right lines.

The sherriff said that had the committee decided that the vehicles were not to move then there would have been nothing illegal in that but the demand for drivers' wages was illegal.

He told Mr McCreadie that he accepted that there was no motive of personal gain but he added: "This is a charge of extortion and extortion is a serious crime."

The court was told of five cheques for £26 made out to the union by Arran Transport one of which the union refused to accept after they were highlighted on television and two others which were returned uncashed.

Assistant director of the Confederation of British Idustry in Scotland John Beattie has already said that this case will encourage other companies to take on the trade unions and he said that the CBI would be able to advise in specific cases.


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