About this Archive

Lesbians and Gays Support the Printworkers (LGSP) came together to support workers fighting sacking and victimisation of employees of Rupert Murdoch’s News International in London.

The printworkers had gone on strike on 24th January 1986, in response to management’s refusal to negotiate terms for moving printing operations away from Fleet Street.

Murdoch insisted that workers accept flexible working, agree to a no-strike clause and abandon a closed-shop agreement (that is, employment open only to union members).

Within hours of the workers going on strike, News International issued termination notices to all striking workers and brought in members of a rogue union – the Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications and Plumbing Union – to replace them. The dispute then played out in a similar way to the previous year’s miner’s dispute. Union assets were seized; major protests took place; mass picketing attempted to prevent publication of Murdoch’s newspapers – the Times, Sunday Times,News of the World and the Sun – police were criticised for their heavy handed approach to protesters and the Thatcher government backed Murdoch at every step.

LGSP undertook a range of activities during the dispute including picketing, fund-raising, leafletting and the production of badges as well as a regular newsletter.