Its ends than it ever was with the decisive Executive Comfirmly controlled by the right wing CUTICE by John Boyd, the General Secretary.
Desoite the SUCCESS
Bob Wright in the Presidential election, the Broad Left B political disarray. The defection of Hugh Scanion the camp of the right wing has not passed without leaving its mark.
The Broad Left has been inactive over the last three years despite the massive attacks on wages and jobs of those who work the engineering Industry. In fact, in the critical Leyland COCHINKArS leading Broad Left and CP member, voted with the right wing support the sacking of the toolmakers.
While the Broad Left canbecause it still remains dominant nalional current In the AUEW, vague hopes of reforming if or changing it are clearly not on the cards.
An altemative will not be built simply declaring one. This is the chief mistake of the Socialist Workers Party sponsored Engineers Charter.
But the need for militants to immediately start to build a principled socialist opponon-seclarian characier has never been granter.
Such an opposition must be prepared to fight indepdenily for Its policies using ana most pupne pratrons 91 the union, such as elections. Only than will it be equipped to do the job of fighting the right WISTE through challenging the org211300 that been the record of the Broad Lell over the last three years. In BROAD LEFT candidate, Bab SOUTH IS COTTA CHILLED WIL the presidency of the ALEW The post becomes vacant TUBENBULE Scanion (RIP). The result of the first ballot in the election showed gaining than his Terry Duffy. (83,893 o Duffy's 81Y3Y1 The Broad Left should be able to make up this deficit by the rime of WIN COME ONLY March, Only 27,3 per cmcot the AUEW membership voted 10 he fors ballot. This was despite the postal ballot system. the skies by the right wing and the Tories as being the best way to democratically involve the memmarginally less DETSEID But despite the postal ballot the low poll reflects Jarue number of the rank and file They found between Dully's support Social Contract - and Wrishr's Jailure to fight for action in the union against it.
of 19,071 which it the union Cities at all.
Challenge AUEW in these arcas.
in the second ballot, But confident. which is lauded to Lefler Ran The feeling of a Congress Jarle to choose Of the alternatives that were on came as a surprise BUt it was F18ser who ku which threatened to shatler th Social Contract. It was this repard for Fraser outsidebisown patch oftheskilled But the vote of lan Morris, a strike and the Engineers Chorter distance 12F87 cred To the sec an Workers Revolutionary Part of Alan Wilkins of the attemptrodraw in other left forces behind Morris's example, no meeting woreheld Wthe Chanci Manchester, MANT oles of help trom Socialiss supporters in the The Tact that Dese candsdate: were the top five in the ballot ressulli means that the Broad Left Can Do Any DESCE DE OFT they should nor be too Oiber ALEW election results announced at the same time show Halverson, unlik Wright, publicly led the campnign he engineers' vote at the TU Jor in lavour of the on the second ballot for national organiser to right winger John Judith In Executive Committee elect lons the first of we hallots sau Communist Part mcmber Le Dixon trailing behind "moderate' Edmund Scrivens. Another deleal TOT TIC ICIL WAS LETOO NOOSONS victory over. Vickers convenor Jim Murray for EC There results should come as a warning for the Broad Left that they cannot rely on the weakness pull Bob Wright through the second Presidential baller.
Wright's campaign contamed a creditalice zap as wide as the Tween his left talking against the Social Contract and his failure to support the scrugale which were doing that sob in thi That was why it was correct to back Morns as an alcernativi socialist candidate. Morris' poor vote does not refloct willingness of the membersbip to fight back, but rather the refusal of the Socialise Workers Party (of which Morris isamember Hotryto Dulu a democratic, broddbasec fighting tendency in the AUEW Wright should now be able to command enough votes in the second ballot to make sure that at ILOS DO JEW SUDDORLEEDALR restraint rises no higher in AUEW policies Government will benetit rank and fle malicants who want to take up the fight seriously It is for tbis reason that Socialis Challenge calls all its sup Corers in the AUEw lo activel campaigo lor Wright in the March ballot.