1971: Workers down tools over union rights

Hundreds of thousands of workers across Britain have taken part in an unofficial day of protest against the government's new industrial relations Bill.

Figures suggest over 100,000 workers walked out on strike in London alone - although only a tiny proportion of that number, about 2,000 joined a march through the capital.

Some reports suggest as many as 1.5 million people stopped work across the country.

The protest is the latest and biggest demonstration so far against the bill, which includes proposals for a strike ballot and a cooling-off period before any industrial action, as well as tighter controls on union agreements and membership.

Unions represented on the march included the boilermakers, printers and electrical workers. Postal workers, who have now been on strike for six weeks, also joined the protest. No national newspapers have been printed.

The Trades Union Congress has not officially endorsed the strike action - although it has been campaigning against the bill. The protesters deliberately chose to march past Congress House, headquarters of the TUC, to demonstrate their opposition to the bill.

Ultimatum

The rally was addressed by Bill McLaughlin, London organiser of the Amalgamated Engineering Union (AEU).

He said: "We must confront this government with the ultimatum that if they will not change course, if they're insisting on bringing in this bill which limits our freedoms and our rights, then we must confront them with a declaration that there will be a national stoppage. I see no alternative."

Many of the demonstrators carried banners calling for a general strike on 18 March unless the government backs down.

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