Coalition Justice Secretary, Chris Grayling, has recently announced that crucial Government documents relating to the Shrewsbury pickets’ trials in 1973 are to be kept locked away for a further 10 years – 50 years after the dispute took place.
Campaign For Trade Union Freedom supporters should sign the e-petition to ensure that the documents are released whilst the pickets are alive and email, Tweet and post this petition on blogs and Facebook sites.
The youngest is 65 and the oldest 85.
The Shrewsbury 24 Campaign, based in the North West, has lodged an application to the Criminal Cases Review Commission to have this miscarriage of justice against trade unionists overturned.
The Campaign believes that there was government interference in the prosecution of the pickets. The government is citing section 23 of the Freedom of Information Act, dealing with  National Security, as the reason for their action.
In 1972 building workers faced the worst health and safety conditions in British industry. They faced hostile and powerful employers, lump labour and low pay. This was the background to the first national strike to improve pay and conditions.
At the end of the twelve-week dispute, in September 1972, they succeeded in winning the highest ever pay rise in the history of the industry.
Five months after the strike ended 24 pickets were picked up in North Wales and charged with over 200 offences. Six of the pickets were charged with conspiracy to intimidate. None of the pickets had been cautioned or arrested during the strike. Approximately 70 police accompanied the pickets on the Shrewsbury building sites at all times.
The first trial, in October 1973 ended with three of the pickets being found guilty of conspiracy to intimidate, unlawful assembly and affray, and were sent to prison: Des Warren for three years;Â Ricky Tomlinson for two years and John McKinsie Jones for nine months on each charge. In the other two later trials a further three pickets were imprisoned and the remaining pickets given suspended sentences.
Please support the Shrewsbury 24, sign the petition and ask comrades, family, friends and work colleagues to sign the e-petition too.
For further click on the graphic above to visit the website.
Contact: Eileen Turnbull, Researcher & Treasurer, Shrewsbury 24 Campaign, PO Box 92, Liverpool L19 3PHÂ Tel: 07927-937773
release the documents is fully supported by me
I fully support Mr Tomlinsons petition for the release of all the documents in regard to his case. I firmly believe that there have been far to many cover ups and manipulations by past conservative governments who in their own interests have hidden the truth from the general public.Also I would like to add that criminals should be punished for their crimes BUT not allowing them to have books to read is a very negative step and makes
no sense.
Justice for the twenty four
I support this idea completely. If the e-petition is being interfered with remember that we could start petitions elsewhere on line and see the true number of people who support this idea.
Would love to sign Ricky’s petition. How do I do it?
Just click on the sign the petition link in the story! Or the banner at the bottom of the page. That will take you through to the petition.
just show the evidence
Ricky for PM.
On reading information regarding Ricky’s arrest and imprisonment in 1973 I call on the Government to allow an appeal so that he can clear his name.
just do it will ya,release them.
Full support given to your campaign
Last year I met Ricky whilst filming a project he was developing regarding health and safety at work training. During the 2 days in Liverpool I formed the opinion after in depth discussions that Ricky was a genuine person who’s interest over the years was to safe guard people at work from employers that cut corners for safety at work. Ricky had in the past whilst working in construction witnessed many serious accidents. Ricky was sincere in his objective to promote a positive culture and wanted to set up a safety training organisation on the basis of no profit. Hope it develops soon.
I wish Mr Ricky Tomlinson and Mr Andrew Warren my sincere and best wishes in bringing a pardon to Mr Des Warren whom I knew and was very saddened to hear of his death having suffered for many years with a terrible illness like parkinsons.They only wanted better working conditions and we’re jailed and they were political prisoners so let a pardon be granted immediately for the long suffering of Mr Dennis warren.
In view of the Hillsborough Jury’s verdict perhaps the time has come for justice to be found and for many others who have suffered due to the establishment closing ranks to lie and deceive the UK public.
Like Ricky I was active as a youngster and always knew my phone was tapped. That said I never did anything wrong so felt quite safe, but then I would think this also applied to Ricky and his colleagues. Fortunately perhaps I was too small a fish or just plain lucky not to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
…….on the comment that Richard Whitely sold Ricky out, working class men and women in this country have been used to infiltrate trade union movements since their inception and prior to that our own people have been bought, sold and dispensed with for hundreds of years, as an ex-miner who was on strike for 12 months 84-85 I would love to chat with Ricky about it further if possible?