Craig Smith, the boss at Friction Dynamics, "underestimated us, the local community, and our union," said Gerald Parry, chair of Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) branch 4/550, in his remarks to the rally. "There has been a union on our site since the 1960s and we have a proud history going back to the unions in the slate quarries in North Wales."
Parry, who spoke in Welsh and English, reported that vendors from London brought a truckload of turkeys, fresh fruit, and vege- tables a few days before Christmas for the strikers and their families.
The battle with Friction Dynamics bosses burst into the open when workers held a one-week strike in April 2001. They protested the company’s drive to impose a 15 percent wage cut, end shift pay, and introduce a longer working day without overtime pay.
The company also sought to restrict union meetings and reduce the number of shop stewards on the premises.
At the end of the strike, the company effectively locked out the workers by imposing an unscheduled holiday. When picket lines were set up, the bosses sacked 87 workers and laid off 24 others.
"He offered our jobs back after eight weeks, but with a 15 percent pay cut and a ‘no strike’ clause," said Emlyn Jones, a grinder at the plant for 38 years. "He thought after an eight-week lockout we would go back."
With the company appealing the tribunal ruling, workers have decided to continue picketing. "I’ll be picketing every other day until we decide to stop," said Pat Jones, an examiner for 33 years, who has been on the picket line for 21 months.
"We’ve been able to stay on the picket line for 21 months because of the support from local people and unions around the UK," said Gwilym Williams, the union branch secretary. Bill Morris, General Secretary TGWU, also spoke and pledged the national union’s continued support.
Six of 18 firefighters at the Caernarfon fire station joined the march with their banner. "On the first day of our first strike, locked-out workers from Friction Dynamics were on our picket line," said firefighter Rob Pool. Firefighters across the United Kingdom have held several strikes in their battle to defend jobs and fire services.
Workers locked out at William Cooks in Sheffield also joined the march and rally. "We took strike action for one day to oppose a pay cut, and when we got back, we were locked out," said Eddie Grimes. Workers at Friction Dynamics collected £1000 ($1,650) worth of food last December for the Sheffield workers.
Car workers from IBC, Luton, and the Rover plant at Solihull joined the rally, as did workers from Goodyear Tires, Wolverhampton, where the company is closing the plant and is pulling out of the UK. The tire workers union branch has made regular contributions of about £100 ($165) a month to the workers at Friction Dynamics.
Unison, Amicus, the Communication Workers Union, and the General Municipal and Boilermakers Union also participated.
Members and leaders of Plaid Cymru, the Welsh Nationalist Party, came with their banner. The local branch of Plaid Cymru held a January 19 benefit in a local chapel, which raised £1,500 ($2,475) for the locked-out workers. The Welsh national anthem was sung in Welsh at the end of the rally.