TGWU must keep to the rules, says NIRC
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• The TGWU has paid the £55,000 contempt fines imposed in the Liverpool container dispute, the National Industrial Relations Court was told on Wednesday by Mr Peter Pain QC. Wednesday's court appearance ended the union's boycott of the NIRC under the TUC's "non-cooperation" policy.
The hearing arose as the result of applications by Heaton's Transport (St Helens) Ltd and Craddock Bros of Wolverhampton, alleging that the "blacking" of their vehicles had continued since the fines were imposed on the union.
The chairman of the court, Sir John Donaldson, granted an adjournment until Tuesday, and said the facts about recent events in Liverpool raised the serious question as to the accountability of the union for its shop stewards' action, and whether the union was in fact complying with the Court's orders.
In agreeing to an adjournment for the union to file evidence, the Court had to safeguard the companies as well as the union, and had been disappointed that the union had been unable to offer any corresponding adjournment of the industrial action in Liverpool. But the problem was wider than just Liverpool.
Dockers feared for their future and felt that they had no alternative but to fight. "In this, they may be mistaken, for genuine negotiations will often achieve far more," said Sir John. "In any event they must keep to the rules."