WEEKLY Any remaining fears amongst the leaders of the TUC that this week's holiday in Brighton might be hit by rall were blown away Monday night. With ballots returned from 14,000 seamen, the Natioani Union of Seamen announced that there was only a majority of 309 in favour of the "some form of pursuit of their limit-busting wage claim.
The leaders of the NUS promptly announced that industrial action was unlikely, because they didn't want to 'upset the applecart over the social contract.
With the storm clouds at sea gone, with Alan Sapper politely withdrawing the Cine-Technicians' motion against wage-restraint, opposition to wage-cutting was left to the tiny Furniture Trades Union and a tew white-collar unions. Huge majorities in favour of on every decisive question were guaranteed. Speeches against unemployment and the cuts wat torowed were simpiy meant to soothe the bureaucrats' troubled consciences.
With more than 1½million unemployed, it's hard to imagine that five years ago Inese same leaders were threatening the Tory Government with fire and brimstone because unemployment had just risen above half a million!
But that's not to write off this week's TUC as a bureaucrats' beanfeast. On Wednesday morning the National Union of Public Employees felt compelled to call a lobby of the conference to protest about the cuts. At the same time the executive of the Civil and Public Services Association has called for a one-day strike in November against planned cuts 40,000 jobs in the civil service.
That revolt is brewing ever reflected in the row' between Jack Jones and other union leaders over ine next round or otherwise of in comes policy. These outbursts might the last march. Support should be built for pickets of their court appearances.
be press-managed theatrics, but demonstrate that despite the 18 to 1 vote the union leaders are running scared of their ability to hold the line for a third year.
Even on unemployment, token caps had to be doffed in the direction of the 35-hour week and some increase in public works to provide jobs But if the incipient revolt is to be harnessed into an effective challenge for alternative policies and alternative leadership in the trade unions and the Labour Party, then the minority at all levels of the trade unions and the Labour Party who are prepared to fight megoverments concies maculor must be united in a common struggle.
RICKY TOMLINSON addresses Right to Work Marchers on their way to Brighton and the TUC Congress. One of the Shrewsbury building workers imprisoned by the courts he has given full support to the campaign in defence of the 43 militants lifted from
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