11 . SEEMED as Transport and General Workers' Union's 28th biennial conference last week had taken the slogan 'Unite to Fight the Tories to heart, such was the unanimity of the delegates' decisions on the resolutions presented to them.
But to look at the voting figures would only tell half the story. Delegate after delegate found themselves speaking resolutions which they said did not go far enough. All calls for action had been composited out of the resolutions. This was almost entirely due to lne strategy Communist rarty waose posinon is tHal the Moss Evans' leadership 'progressive" and who thereThe clearest fight against the platform, on a resolution for the adoption of the sliding scale wages, showed both potential for building •a class struggle opposition in the union sections of the membership to mount a real fight against the Tories on the basis of policies which give clear socialist This resolution was moved by Alan Thornett Leyland, Cowley, who member of the Workers Socialist League.
For the first time in the memory of many delegates the chair was forced to concerte the use of tellers. The proposal was lest by only 89 votes.
AS WEll as the fact that a consistent fight for the sliding wared by the WSL for several TGWU conferences, crucial factor was that the left united against plattorm.
Countered Mike Eaude from Bristol Hospitals, a Socialist Challenge supporter, and Tommy Riley of Ine wr both countered the Platform's arguments that the sliding scale was incompatible the restatement of the unions commitment to unfettered free collective bargaining.
They pointed out that all wage claims are based on an estimate of the rise in the cost of living and that the platform did not say that the demand for a 35-hour week would cut accross free collective bargaining.
On pay, Moss Evans' to maintain free collective bargaining was matched by his firm refusal to set any figure for pay rises, even for the low paid.
doubt Tories the
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fore waged no fight in standing Clearest