Sam and me worked with the Reds during the apprentices" strike; warriors in the class war; picketing, fighting scabs, defying the police. Management separated us when the strike finished. I moved to the Fitting Shop.
At the mass meeting starting the strike I met Jake Burns, the Shop Steward from Reid"s. Jake told the Reds that the timing of the strike was inept and the demands weak. They threatened to throw him out. Reid"s apprentices formed a protective square around a drunk Jake and dared anyone to try. The Reds backed down and we got Jake out of the Good Shepherd"s Hall.
The strike was exciting; a break from the monotony of Reid"s. I was lifted by the police after scrapping on the picket line. The local paper carried a picture of the incident. I got off with a warning from the Sergean
