OBITUARIES

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: february 2013 :: RMTnews 28 Vic Turner (right) was one of the dock leaders known as the Pentonville Five, whose imprisonment for picketing in July 1972 led to one of the largest mass demonstrations in London, and the threat by the TUC of a general strike. The men were jailed on the orders of the Heath government's newly set-up National Industrial Relations Court for picketing a container depot in protest at proposals to move their jobs. Warrants for their arrests were issued by the NIRC for contempt of court, and four were arrested and imprisoned. Vic was arrested and imprisoned as he led a demonstration outside Pentonville where the men had been taken. Thousands marched on Pentonville and , faced with a general strike, the previously unheard of ‘Official Solicitor’ applied to the Court of Appeal on the grounds that the NIRC had "insufficient" grounds for conviction. The men were set free that day. Victor Turner was born and brought up in East London and became a docker and a TGWU steward in the Royal Group, and a member of the Communist Party, taking part in the battles to end casualisation. Vic played a prominent role in organising support in the fight to keep the Upper Clyde Shipyards open, helping miners' children affected by the 1972 miners’ dispute and during the Briant printers’ work-in. He continued the fight against the loss of jobs but containerisation came in, resulting in large-scale redundancies. He went to work for Newham Council as a Trade Refuse Officer and joined the Labour Party. He was elected to the council in 1984, serving as mayor. Obituaries Eric Caddick (right - holding banner) was a Liverpool-born black member of the National Union of Seamen who, despite being confined to his house for many years, was still tremendously respected by a wide spectrum of people shown by those who attended his funeral and sent messages from around the world. Eric was a proud member of the Communist Party and stood as its candidate in Liverpool’s Granby Ward. Over the years he was involved in many campaigns including against Apartheid and US aggression in Vietnam, for Nuclear Disarmament, Chile Solidarity and the struggle against racism. Eric joined the Merchant Navy as a young man. He worked in the engine room, sailing mainly to South America and the Caribbean and later he worked aboard various ships on the Mersey. He was very active in the Seaman’s Reform Movement, along with his friends, Paddy Milner, Peter Kerrigan, Harry Caribine, and Roger Woods, Joe Kenny, Jack Coward. The latter three of the five were named by Prime Minister Harold Wilson as “a tightly group of motivated men”, trying to bring down his Labour government. But it was clear to everyone all they were trying to do was to win decent wages and conditions for British seamen. They were also trying to place the union into the hands of its members. Eric was always proud that the campaign resulted in the democratisation of the union. . VIC TURNER October 3 1927 - December 30 2012 ERIC CADDICK November 3 1929 – December 19 2013 RMT has come into the possession of a pocket watch presented to Dunfermline National Union of Railwayman branch secretary D I Page in 1926. RMT regional organiser Peter Skelly found the watch in a second hand market in Cardiff and bought it on behalf of the union. It is not clear who presented the watch to brother Page “for services rendered ‘commurative’ of the General Strike, 1926”. Dunfermline is now part of the Mid Fife branch of the union. Peter asked RMT News to ask members if anyone has any further information about D I Page and the watch. “It would be interesting to know more about this watch and how it ended up in Cardiff,” he said. COMMEMORATIVE WATCH