ABSTRACT
The strong London branch consists of non-skilled men in the publishing end of Fleet Street, binders, warehousemen and van drivers, where they dominate the distribution and wholesale trades. The National Society of Operative Printers, Graphical and Media Personnelis a much similar union with around 60 per cent of its 50,500 members working in Fleet Street, where they are machine assistants, clerical staff, ink and roller workers and administrative personnel. The issues were put to the entire Fleet Street labour force in a ballot held early in 1977. There are also members of the construction union Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians, the General and Municipal Workers, Confederation of Health Service Employees, and the Sheet Metal Workers in Fleet Street’s inflated labour force. The financial troubles of most national newspapers and the urgent need to introduce the new technology are putting immense strain on to the antique industrial relations system that has ruled Fleet Street since the war.
