The long campaign of the Shrewsbury 24 was highlighted at the first event as part of Speak Oot! (Dundee's festival of trade unionism, co-incident with the STUC conference).
In 1972, a group of North Wales building workers were charged with alleged picketing offences following the first national building workers strike.
Becoming known as the 'Shrewsbury 24', they pursued a long campaign for justice, seeking to overturn the convictions. Their determined efforts were acknowledged and discussed at an event in Dundee on 13 April, held as part of Speak Oot!
The meeting was addressed by some of those directly involved in the issue, as well as by Eileen Turnbull. Her book 'A Very British Conspiracy' tells the full story of how the state prosecuted the workers and their campaign to overturn this miscarriage of justice. Eileen shows how the state used the criminal justice system to secure convictions, revealing how, in the absence of hard evidence, the Police and prosecution went to extraordinary lengths to criminalise trade unionists. She discovered the crucial fresh evidence that would get the pickets’ convictions overturned - and her book gives details of the government and police documents that show how much careful planning went into the prosecution of the 24 men.
Dundee’s festival of trade unionism is ongoing. To find out about the other events, visit
facebook.com/speakoot or email speakoot@gmail.com