1.
GV Strike resolution being proposed
0.27

2.
GV People leave factory (2 shots)
0.42

3.
GV & CU Goad reading letters (2 shots)
0.54

4.
SCU Goad reads statement
1.42

5.
GV Mr. Goad walks down street
1.52

6.
SCU Goad speaking
2.13

7.
MV Strikers comment on Goad
2.42


UNIONS OFFICIALS: "Those in favour please show, please show, please, all in favour of out".



GOAD: "Dear Mr. Goad. I regret that in view of the fact that your works colleagues have announced that they will no longer work with you, and as your work is of service to the factory, it is not possible for you to properly fulfil it under those circumstances. In view of our responsibilities to our customers, the industry and the country, we feel we have no option but to send you home on paid leave of absence for the time being."



REPORTER: "How do you feel about being sent home on paid leave of absence?"



GOAD: "Well, naturally I don't feel happy about it. I recognise the terrible difficulty the company is in, especially in relation to the warning by the President of the Court, and therefore one would have expected for no other course to be taken."



REPORTER: "How big a golden handshake would you want before you would be prepared to leave the factory."



GOAD: "When one recognises that I have 12 years, all being well, to do at CAV, and I'm earning GBP33 a week, plus a month's bonus, I would say in the region of 30,000 wouldn't be asking too much."



1ST WORKER: "Nobody likes going on strike at the best of times. But we are prepared to come out on this issue and stay out until it's been resolved. There's no two ways about it; no short cut."



2ND WORKER: "We can't get the Christmas bonus Mr. Goad's after will we? No. He won't share that with our families, will he? My family's willing to go without; I expect everybody else's family will as well."



1ST WORKER: "As far as we know he's still getting paid now for being suspended."



3RD WORKER: "He'll get paid this week whereas we won't."




Initials ESP/1956 ESP/2008


This item includes interviews with Mr. Goad and his fellow workers:

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Work at the Lucas Group's factory at Sudbury, England, was brought to a standstill by strike action on Monday (11 December). Twelve hundred employees voted to stop work in protest over a GBP50,000 sterling contempt fine on the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers (A.U.E.W.) The fine was imposed by the National Industrial Relations Court (N.I.R.C.) last Friday (8 December).

Production at the truck components plant is expected to remain idle until Friday (15 December). It's feared the action may spark off further strikes throughout Britain against the large fine, imposed for the continued exclusion from the A.U.E.W. of 53-year-old Mr. James Goad.

The dispute started in 1967 when Mr. Goad, a quality inspector at the CAV factory, refused to take part in a local one-day strike. Mr. Goad says he disagrees with the principle of striking. He appeared before his local Union branch and the matter was reported to have been settled amicably. However, Mr. Goad wanted to resign. He wasn't allowed so he let his membership lapse.

Following another dispute last year, Mr. Goad applied to rejoin the A.U.E.W. After a refusal by the local branch, a district tribunal ruled that Mr. Goad was entitled to reinstatement. However, the Sudbury Branch of the A.U.E.W. refused to accept his contribution, so Mr. Goad took the dispute to the N.I.R.C.

The Court reaffirmed that Mr. Goad was a member of the A.U.E.W. but was once again turned away from his Union Branch meeting. At this stage his fellow workers expressed their dissatisfaction of working with Mr. Goad. The threat of possible strike action facing the factory, which sent Mr. Goad home on paid leave of absence.

It was then reported that Mr. Goad would leave the company and drop the proceedings in return for a payment from his company of GBP30,000 sterling. This payment would be in lieu of wages up to his retirement in 12 years' time and then his pension.

When the dispute returned to the N.I.R.C., the A.U.E.W. was fined GBP50,000 contempt of court for not readmitting Mr. Goad to the Union.

SYNOPSIS: At a factory in Sudbury, England, engineering workers vote to strike over an Industrial Relations Court decision to fine their Union GBP50,000 in contempt. The Union had refused to re-issue Mr. James Goad, a quality inspector at the Sudbury factory, with union membership.

The dispute between Mr. Goad and his branch of the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers started in 1967 when he refused to support a one-day strike.

Mr. Goad has failed in all attempts since then to regain his union membership. His fellow workers threatened strike action against his stand, so his company sent him home on full pay.

Between Industrial Court hearings, Mr. Goad said he would leave his job and drop proceedings in return for a suitable payment from his company.