Alan Law's supporters mobilize
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by CM reporter
A NEW chapter has been written in the continuing story of the attempt by some members of the TGWU to depose Mr Alan Law from his power-base in the Midlands.
Disgruntled members of the car transporter branch have called for yet another official union inquiry into Alan Law's behaviour during the recent appeal of Autocar and Transporters Ltd's drivers before the Birmingham Industrial Tribunal. Despite a mass lobby to the union's Birmingham offices, Mr Law could not be persuaded to give evidence to the Tribunal, though he made it clear that his decision might be reversed if the Autocar drivers would ask for him to represent the car transporter branch again.
Mr Law resigned as officer responsible for the car transporter drivers following earlier protests by the Autocar and Transporters men, and he was replaced by Mr Douglas Fairburn, West Midlands divisional officer of the TGWU.
The line up
With the publication in the Birmingham Mail, and in leaflet form, of a resounding declaration of support for Alan Law, the line-up of the warring factions becomes clearer.
The signatories, who claim to represent almost 9,000 Birmingham transport workers, "wish to announce that we do not associate ourselves with any opposition to our officer, Alan Law. We represent 95 per cent of the transport workers in the city and we have the utmost confidence in Alan Law and support him unreservedly."
It will now fall to Mr Brian Mathers, regional secretary of the TGWU, on his return from holiday, to decide jointly with the union's trade group and district committee, how best to resolve an embarrassing situation. Having presided over a four-day internal enquiry committee into Mr Law's conduct as negotiating officer for ' the car transporter staffs, Mr Mathers may seek ways to cool down the atmosphere.
Now that Mr Law has received such powerful backing from the local transport branches any further official action which could be interpreted as in any sense "disciplinary" would aggravate the situation. Much more likely, there will be a sustained campaign by Alan Law supporters to reeducate the members of the car transpbrter branch who at a critical time for labour relations — rocked the union boat.