national conference of trade union delegates. through Hendon in North London.
Now the EACH GROUP of workers starting the fight to defend living standards doesn't just confront IAL DUSSC3 CRO LAC DECS WICI hunts. It runs slap bang into the Government and ihe TUC.
The rank and file needs a centralised response to overcome me bolando 1o cach group or workets in strugale and promote united The Communist Putiw led Liason Commirtec fo the Defence of Trade Unions hasn't met this need.
ТИКОВЕ ГОС strike, a0N Ue miners and local povernment and ambulance workers negoliating DAT CULIS OSCE IReSU DEI the LCDTU IS neeting unil February cn ooly to discuss unemployOily the Rank and File Loncine b initie io fl the cup. Michael Fenn. Secretary of Ne Rank end File Conference The National Rank and File movement first came into existence in 1974, when a number of 'Rank and File' papers in various unions and industries sponsored a In 1976 the Rank and File Organising Centre faded into the background when It spawned the 'Right to Work Campaign', which organised a series of marches by the unemployed demanding the right to work. The first of these marches was viciously assaulted by police on its way National Rank and File movement has re-emerged to call a national conference of trade union delegates against the Government's income policy, taking place in manchester this weekend. RICH PALSER asks why the conference is necessary and how it can meet the massive task of building a united left-wing opposition.
Uitanmna Commiccu interview with the paper of the Workers Party main torce ference), sees the aim of the conTerence like this:
The people who represent the workers are the shop stewards.
They should have the say over wages, the cuts in the bospitals. schools, raclalisns else That's why I believe in rank and file trade unionism and the rank and fle conference So: "Rank and File militants have got to organise so that we CAN ger DaCE to trade momsmH was before the Janes and Fishers and Scanlons took over.
We have gor 10 go hack before we cat go forward. It can he UBICAn examnle of what Fenn à the work he's been involved in in his own industryINE COSAS Srehwlding The Narional Port Stewards Commirtee, which has heen active against the closure of Preston docks and trains to launch an une icisl pay Ol course this sort of work is •The TGWU leadership's bid to overthrow is own conference Dolich of opposition to the 12 month rule had to be met by action from MICHEOS Hut is Michael Feno righi? Is it really just a matter back to trade unsonisa as 1t was before the Joncs and Fishers, shop and the officials stood hy!
The problem toduy bas moihstanding by or sot. The problem is that they step in actively to reak any action by the stewar H3CIШC AMCML Social Contract.
The ieft has to organise in the abions to finht seainst the class (the collaboratian of the union leadthe con ers, remove rhem won't just go back to the sidelines, This fight against class collaboration also has to be foucht out within the stewards' ¡tself. Io an's that the stewards" movement har ceased to exist in the past few years, Instead, the left among the stewards has been whable io offer a clear alternative least bocause those like Jones and Scanion, who were previously seen as leaders hy the militant Xowarus mare wostce su supp: ort the Social Contraci If the Rank DOTEINE D10 PHY BS PoT H fighting for sarugele policies, inside the untans and stewarde masement. H has to clect an organising commutee Hands' bodies.
CHICAS the Firefighters LTS of FRecting stewards led the Zanu everyone bau with the union officials of Docks.
WHALIEW completely undemocralic Ve TI and replace the signs nCHACH sponsors conference.
TLTCHLIO Contract mittee lf to be CULTECTEA and File Con reflects a alternative, class involving represencacives from different groupings of thi representatives from major stewIt must call for action commers in struepie Todas it la the Tomorrow the miners and local government wor seblback because their albitudi was that they were the governors -lo do what tEc sald. We, the Raya GrogE Prunden ot the LCBTU. Bue We one of the Dpaase tncy WErE Democracy is crucial if all that struggle. policier of the Lahour Gavernment and the TUC are co be simply by united for common action. But trade Pens and fre coterod for the himself was clecied at a meeting of unnamed advertised in advance to lEvolve meeting never all those who wanted to sponsor later the conferenoe. The draft wate HAR INESUMHOADOWW able umil a week before th There has been n CH UTILI Rank and File Organising Com cleciod by which mests dele gating bodies can't discuss whe ther to pur forward candidates We bone these treaes will bo reversed at the conference, bur it deeper problem. IE organised left is to be built within abere must be a consistent fight for united action WA nOe WAG arCTet 00m stressing academis' 'morssional" status us off Trom other workers, instead of linking our case with others Ike the fire fighters" which are frustrated bs The December Council of the AUT will have to decide on a programmie of militant action LOr CAC CrIn AUuc .GCE as well as university exams, and other key goodbye te our caim for aoorbe Michael Fenn sition to alie Social Contracr.
Despire the LCDTU's failures, Tede al thousands or workers ShE look ro it for a lead. Simply to call for united netion to expose' HJ AUR SURSR-ATE ALE has done — is no way to wage The left will not win its light calling for militant unionism. Workers are looking for long term solations, parti ety Calisten, Muiany inflation. a0a zoncs arc apic to wat sappar for their policies — they pretend that sacrifices now will pay of SERUHE running at 15 to 20 per ceet. We CAInOl P0 D8ck 1o le 13 VI when it was 10 per coit, or when most workers thought that wages MULSILP WU COUANA We need an across-the-board incresse so put pay back to where ir was before che Social Contract, but this rise must be wutomatiesily protecred agains. inaт0o bronel inneciste.-increases in pay.
So too we muss tigha for шіснши wate woich can detenu the low paid and weakly organised who most feel the inadequacy OT HEA MAMES ACC POTTER