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In a Town such as Dover...where most people know each other..In a Town when 35 years, a huge Seamans' Strike took place...against P & O. Such a strike pitted Father against Son and Brother against Brother. The name Scab was prevalent, and people were breaking the strike, going to work on their bellies in Coaches to break the pricket lines....
Also around this time, was the P & O takeover of Townsend Thoresen...Jeffrey Stirling ..Sam McCluskey - Union Leader.... Mighty times and a huge battle.
The Mogul Public House became known as the Striking Seamens' Hub...to cut a long explanation short...I was involved in helping the Strikers to fill out forms, support and so on...These were season seafarers...out of the Merchant Navy, and indeed the Royal Navy....sub-mariners were also involved. They felt the substance of their fight was against the proposals of introducing the week on week off, or two weeks on and two weeks off....as the new ships rotos......
In those days, the shifts were a weeks of nights, then a day on and day off rota.
If the new practices were bought in, it paved the way for anyone living anywhere to work on the ferries. Thus, very cheap foreign labour. It has to be bought to people's attention...the Cruise Ships have been doing this for years and years....with far Eastern labour..etc..
I have seen the holds of Cruise Ships...with five bunks either side of a cabin, holding ten people and more. This has been standard practice for years...Thus the Cruise Companies can keep the prices low etc...
The chickens have come home to roost for the Ferries....People want cheap...and they will take that whatever...Emotions, loyalty, care, regard for others, trust and respect are out of the door...
What is extraordinary, is the fact, that all of these sackings..were surely a result of deep collusion and secrecy within the governance of this town and area.....It would appear, that nobody had a clue regarding these mass sackings. It was a total surprise to the workers....
There must have been a great deal of planning regarding these sackings....you would not be able to have done such a deed without the powers that be knowing....It is indeed, a huge blow, against community and trust...Thank you.