A massive total of 1,700 delegates responded to the call of Leyland stewards last Sunday and attended rank and file TUC' with the aim of campaigning 'for a return to free collective bargaining'.
Speaker after speaker at the conference, and at the fringe meeting organised at lunch time by the Campaign for Democracy in Labour Movement, expressed an angry hostility to the Social Contract, and showed a willingness to do all they could to bring it to an But the conference dominated by Fatty were unable to match this mood of fighting militancy. familiar and tired theme of unity of the movement' was offered by SOCENCES such as Bob Wright, Assistant General Secretary of the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers. But this OCCHOCO unity in action with a ne problem seeing ine overiding need as the preservation SORI was illustrated convenor of the electricians union strike committee at the steel works in Port Talbot. He pointed out: *Our Executive is not prepared to negotitate for our members and our union has disowned us. This is not a craft or sectional strike. This is a strike against une inacavity or our particularly UROD againstine sociar contract The speaker went on to explain that their demands, as with the toolmakers, were just demands and he asked the conference to give the Port Talbot workers full support.
The organising committee, stead putting plea Indeed speakers more important to attack those in struggle against the betrayals of the Labour Government and the trade Platform •ourcaucracy. speaker Eddie McGarry in a veiled attack on the toolroom workers argued that disputes in pursuit of sectional interests, backed by the Tories, cannot aid that unity". These remarks were followed by those of Derek Robinson, the Leyland confailure to support the toolroom workers could have contributed to Rather than seeking to unite with the toolmakers or the steelworkers, the conference organisers prized unity with those who attack such workers — such as the "lefts' on the AUEW Executive. A consequence of this type of strategy was the conference organisers reluctanceto spell out the need for strike action on 20 April, preferring instead the - vagueness ol suostantal aciegations to the lobby of Parliament' but a ternauves to tas nesia approach were made to the confer chee. yanous accrates calcu 1o! local committees to mobilise for strike action on 20 April. Phil Hicks announced the decision of Coventry Rolls Royce workers to strike and Dominic Costa from No. 8 Division of ASTMS Heath striking on 20 April Fighting fore Advisory argued: minimum wage, fighting for equal pay, fighting for inflation-proof wages and across-the-board increases, that will strengthen our fight to bring public sector workers The boring Women's Charte in a statement for which they equal pay, and Brent Trades Council delegate Tessa van Geld eren pointed out: "Equal pay is not Must a nury arter omer acmana are met, it is a demand which can workers to end the Social CONTaCL But these and many other proposals delegates made were unable to be voted on as the conference organisers refused to allow amendments to be put to their declaration. Instead of putting forward socialist policies, the declaration substituted a call for import controls and increased state investment. Having got this resolution through, Derek Koninson encec ine conterence o saying: We will not hesitate to meet our responsibilly ana can a recan conference if the situation calls for Yet already the situation permits more concrete tactics than therather unspecific Day of Action'. 20 April can be turned into a day of national strike action against all aspects of the Social Contract. Local committees to organise this action can and should be established, even on the basis of the vague deciaratien adopted at the conference.
The obvious support that the Port Talbot workers received from con terence delegates lays me basis for c camnaion in support the same way amongst their membership.
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