Trade union activists in Telford have thrown their weight behind a campaign to try to overturn the convictions of men jailed for joining picket lines during the building of two borough estates.

The Shropshire and Telford Trades Union Council is calling on its members to support the Justice for the Shrewsbury 24 campaign, which is fighting to overturn the sentences handed out to pickets who protested in Brookside and Woodside during the 1972 building workers’ national strike.

• Ricky Tomlinson in pictures

The campaign has organised a march and rally next month.

Those jailed include actor Ricky Tomlinson, best known for his roles in Brookside and the Royle Family, who will speak at the event in Shrewsbury on July 4.

Calls for an inquiry into the convictions have so far been unsuccessful and earlier this year an Early Day Motion was put down in the House of Commons to relaunch the campaign.

Council secretary H O’Harney said: “The march and rally is being held in Shrewsbury and is symbolic because this was where the main trial took place.

“The actual events that led to them being charged took place in Telford, so there is even more reason the event is supported by all local trade unionists,” he added.

The march will start from Shrewsbury’s Abbey Foregate car park at 11am and will finish near Shrewsbury Crown Court, where the rally starts at noon.