TURC Publishing Ltd

TURC Publishing was established in 1985 as a functional unit, to develop a sizable publishing and distribution operation as an asset for the whole Centre. In September 1986 it became a formal subsidiary of TURC Ltd as part of a major restructuring of the Centre. TURC Publishing Ltd was a company limited by guarantee and was set up to publish & distribute materials originating within TURC, within the Trade Union Research Network [TURN] or with outside bodies that it chose to distribute. The directors of TURC Publishing were nominees of the TURC Management Committee. This new structure was adopted, to protect as much as possible the assets and operations of TURC Ltd, in case legal action was taken for libel or under the Local Government Act against the publishing activities of the Centre. The legal status of TURC Publishing Ltd was similar to that of the similarly created TURC Video Ltd & TURC Print Ltd.

The personnel for TURC Publishing were initially drawn from within the main Centre, and retained their core duties. They were augmented however by members of TURN, who in addition to providing information also assisted in editorial work.

TURN was established to bring like minded individuals with research & other skills together with trade unionists and others. It was initiated by TURC research workers, and the relationship between the formally structured TURC and the less formal network was close. A regular report on the work of TURC Publishing, including individual publications and overall finances was required from the publications worker to the TURN Editorial Group. This report was also to be made to the TURC staff meeting, and where significant political & financial departures or commitment were involved, to the TURC Management Committee.

The TURN Editorial Group was a voluntary group elected from TURN general meetings plus co-optees. Its role was to ensure overall co-ordination of TURN and groups within the network. It worked collectively to discuss & administer such business as the growth of the Network, methods & priorities of publication & distribution of research work, finances, and communications from other groups etc. The group included TURC researchers, Network members and a publications / distribution worker. Any member of TURN was welcome to join the Group.

However, it also had responsibility for content of publications via a "contact / reader" system, and responsibility for the overall direction of publications including print runs & distribution. This assumption of a right to direct operations within TURC Publishing indicates a source of tension between the two bodies. Whilst TURC staff may be happy to have a counterpoint to the Management Committee, this Committee and the directors of TURC Publishing Ltd had defined responsibilities under company law. In contrast, TURN had no formal mandate to intervene in TURC's affairs and was dependent on the co-operation of TURC staff. Tension arose over the production schedule, with the Management Committee expecting TURC Publishing to produce the BTC Journal as instructed, and TURN seeking to influence this production schedule.

The impetus for a formal publishing operation had been a recognition that within the West Midlands, there was a need for an independent left pamphlet publisher which provided a service outside of specific interest groups (e.g. West Midlands Low Pay Unit, CND) & cheaper, better designed and shorter than Pluto Press). An editorial policy was set that the envisaged series of pamphlets was not to have a specific line, Series of pamphlets was not to have line, other than being a non-racist, non-sexist, pro-working class one whose aim was to produce popular pamphlets at £1.00 or less written at a level between that of the Daily Mirror and the Guardian.