Fortified by barbecued breakfast and coffee, pickets "welcomed" the bosses to work and elicited support from passing cars and vans. "There’s more morale here on the picket line than in there," reported Doreen Purves. "They think they can just walk all over us," said another striker, Cathie, "but they’ve got a shock."

Workers had voted to take the action in pursuit of a 5 percent pay demand, which the company refused to discuss until workers agreed to a wide-ranging attack on their union-won gains and working conditions. Following a previous two-day strike, workers were issued 90-day notices giving them until January 1 to sign up to the company’s demands or be fired, with no redundancy money (severance pay). The company could then rehire the workers under the new conditions.

Dawson International, the parent company, is seeking to tear up an agreement that guarantees workers four days work per week, an important wage safeguard in a highly seasonal industry. The company also wants to be able to force workers to work at its Ballantyne Cashmere plant in Innerleithen, 28 miles away, send workers home without pay if their machines break down, and increase piece rates, which would result in wage cuts.

The bosses called talks for the day prior to the strike. Union steward Rob Redhead reported that they offered no concessions, insisting the new agreement must be signed. "This 90-day notice period is meant to be for consultation, but the company isn’t consulting," he added.

The workers, members of the General, Municipal and Boilermakers and Allied Trade Union (GMB), are now moving toward balloting for strike action over the new conditions. "We have no choice" but to strike, said Purves. "If we lose, we’ll be on three days, and you can’t live on that money."

Workers on the picket line discussed how to make the action effective. Many pointed to the need to take stronger strike action than before, noting that bosses can find ways to cope with a one or two days action. At a meeting of 90 workers the day after the notices were issued, they also decided to organize a march through Hawick to enlist support from other working people.

"If we lose this, everyone in Hawick will lose," said Shona, who has worked at Barrie since being forced two years ago to transfer there from another mill then owned by Dawson.

Many mill workers in the town are aware that other textile companies are ready to follow Dawson’s lead. Union steward Redhead reported that "bosses at Lyle and Scott have already said that they will do it."

Pickets said they have received support from former mill workers and retired workers as well as workers at other mills. While Militant reporters were at the picket line, a postal worker due to deliver Barrie’s mail honored the picket line and spent a few minutes in a friendly chat with strikers.

Workers at Ballantyne Cashmere, report they are waiting to see the outcome of the Barrie dispute. Ballantyne insisted workers there sign the same agreement as the one bosses want to impose on workers at Barrie. According to Redhead, half the workers at Ballantyne signed, half did not. Afterward, they were all still given 90-day notices. The workers at Ballantyne are not covered by the four-day week agreement, and have been working only three days a week for 10 weeks.

How to reach out to these workers is another question trade unionists at Barrie are discussing. "They’re trying to play one off against the other," said Cathie.

Workers are planning another meeting to discuss their position and where to go from here.  
 
 
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