unions are facing a real crisis of perspectives.
offering a way forward.
Since thic end of last year, the Jeadership of the labour movement Tax made someremarkable advances, it has actually broadened its support in thie mass organisations.
Just recall how easily the FBU strike was recated a how the relit wine of seductive deline in them net. What as happened is that the government's apparcat coonomic suocess has really given authority to the trade union NOT SATISFIED ho worchie class merson as salisived with the incomes policy, the spending BCHIHUTECI continue. More serioesiy, no coherent and consistent opposition has emerged in the labour movement with enough weight 1o seriously challenge alone hamper - the stralegy of the labour bureaucracy.
It's not just the top bureaucrats that are implicated, Ar Leyland, each and every one of the leading shop stewards and convenes bar a mire tve -voted with management to slash twenty to thirty thousand jobs.
After the vote on these proposals. they gave Michael Edwardes, Leyland's hoss a sanding ovation. Three mollls later, the Speke No. 2 plant closed Nevertheless, despite the setbacks suffered by the working alass, its basic organisation at shop floor level remains Intact. The shop stewards organisations are still strong and capable of leading a fight. Particularly unions, there has been a stanificant influx of new members and shop floor organisations have seen a new growth in sectors like health.
RESERVOIR Union leaders are aware of these developments. And they recognise cha: the apparent economic stability is shor lived. When the economy begine to visibly deteriorate again, they see an enormous reservoir of working class strength to be unicashed. they have been quick to move on the deological tron:
The trend today is away from the independent organisation working class and towards relying on negotiations hetween the burcaucracy Protection Act, the health and safety legislation, and 50 on.
The objective is to solve "industrial TERERS problems peacetully apecial courts — with the myriad of new HELPERS BEG CONCHAHON where the main actor is the trade union bismal in his her new role as the Perry Mason the WOTSUL DISASTROUS The bureaucracy has not today wor decisive victories against the rank and file. in situation to the aftermath of 1926, lor instance. But the disastrous outcome of struggles launched by the toolroom workers, the Heathrow engincers and the tire hghters do make the emergeace of action againse the incomes policy that more difficult.
More mportantly the betweet the bureancracy Labour Goveramen:, combined with the depth of the current crisis, poses major political probleins. To rely on the spontaneous outbreak of struggles SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 22 June 197b page B The Socialist Challenge Trade Union Conference couldn't be more for yet another round, and no section of the left appears capable of utterly insufficiens, the del was lo lake 1s steps that can and so on.
bul these tasks.
Party's strateey
Yet these defeat. The right in the let the '60s:
run into difficulties DEEHSBEOIS CELS Polane me our ILLUSIONS in white collar broad leftism; not the Broad Left.
Rank and filism phenomenon. It tellects a real Equal Pay Act.
STILES class.
comparable alliance and the HERONST vor exportations or more manancy Ls own programmie into the mass organisations Unions and light 1o will advanced workers to begin to impose i working class solution 1o the crisis.
Demands which can begin to unite the working classso do just that include the fight for the nationalisation of all firms crealing redundancies; for work ment's sharing: for a sliding scale of wages.
Yet for the past three years there has been no opposition capattie of carrylig The Communist relying left burcaucrats has led to nothing but Union is stronger today than when the Broad Left set our to rebuild the left in The strongest far left group — the zoclaus workcis Fans - naseyuany in the Rank and rule formations have been incapable of around cass struggle pobcies against The Broad Let ina crystallisation of of workers in labourism. Whatever the failibes of the Broad Let is ar organisation, when the CP takes a policy. decisinn to move it will will be CaDa DiC of puiling powerful, forces into action. The most central problem faced by revolutionaries, in the unions today b different among militams to go beyond the CP independently of the Broad Left. Bus social democracy and its attempt to go AUEW boss Terry Dully 1 with in matasy in as base and i with an mustachly in its ather major difficu ties.
The problem that Hank and File seeking nn answer to is: Whitis the bo: roule to the base of the CP in the That" wwww the Succalis Workers Party the patron of Hank -called for united action witt the Communist Party's Lisison.
In Defence of Trade It is a problem that mibrants at the Sociaist Challenee Trade Lnion Confereace also have to deal with, li is only with correct tactics lowin unity an action with these forces that a real hour Govern alicies can be built For this we do not need yet anotber organisation on the left; the task is Botto build an alternativero BL and R&F. Hor to fight for an alternative to hroud leftism and rank and filism.
LOBBY In the lead-in to the next round of incomes policy, the TUC Congress will a me should working campaign for a lobby of the TUC against Phase Four, with an emphasis ineernioymen and productivity dealing. We should call for a 35-hou week now, no productivity dealing, and public works.
We should try for a joint campaien with the SWP and aim for a join campa surenera see talking burenucracy is now talking SUE HE BOT TOODLE WOEKE weck, but this is a fig leaf to cover their real purpose: unpther phase of incomici The 35-hour week and the 'concern about usemployment wil soon go by board when employers dig their heels in.
They will even use it as the basis for productivity deals - 35 hours with no listerpand demand that the anto and demand that the unio mouth is: by organising a real campaign for the 35 hour weet an end Id productivity deals, and measures to They say that the only way to bea umersplaysent is to hold down wages so that Brilish exports can compele tore favourably in the world market. pross ail tie, more we mee and one happy day the dole queue will disappear Against this argument, won after wton bas coled Jor and 17 some cases like the post office engineers. industrial action for the 35 hour week The Labour declared iself against the principle. If we introduce the 35 hour week, they say, costs will rise, exports will ger more expense owen we know the rest the NO EFFECT But not all bosses are so opposed to the 35 hour week conditions. The Daily Telegraph would Ike to see it introduced.
production is kept at the with the same workforce. Of course this would have no effect on unemployment harder and the Laughing all the way to the bank That's why we must insist on the 35 hour weck without loss of pay chat nicans an increase in hourly rates of about 12 per cent), productivit deal introduced on inis worker in the country would virtualy end the dole NO INTENTION Butthe Labour Government have no of measure through Parliament block 1 with incomes policy So the fight must be an for every wage chim both Jocaily and nationaily Follow Is example i workers claim emphasis on both a wage clast that can make up and standards and the demand for the 35 new week Conterences al a local lovel can synchronise action around such claims i unemplased with alass action on the streets.
FORWARD PLANS We-masi begin to raise the demand for work sharing without Ion of pay. calculating the lengi of the working wicek according avatable production, Leich of outper couid be calculated demanded access to all the forward plansof firins and industries. another argument for wage restraint.
and that taken Government has Over Governmical.
bertain So long as wages and same levels bosses would be and without allacheL basis lor cvery queue Imroducing such and of the Ford This nuts satezuard real livin to the valine of Oil workers If enterprises cannot guaranted the basic right co work at e decen wase the Stare must he force lo take the responsibility fur providing the finance to safeguard workers interests. Thi mcus workers exercising contre. al the point of production to ensure that warking coaditions are The State already intervenes to try and ashion the effect of teenploymeat —Tarticularly on the youth 100,000 maintaned employment by the vaneus employ meet sunsidies sponsored by the Cosmesic as this exercise is, i would be idiculous to demand tha. thes schemesicense. Full union rights and the union rates have to be established for If you ure interested in attes Union Conference, Just Mil registration fee to SCTIC payable to Socialist Challe NAMF...
ADDRESS.
TRADE UNION
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timely, writes PAT HICKEY, because today militants in the trade Three years of incomes policy have passed. There is preparation
EVEN the fact that unemployment has increased by 300 per cent ander this Labour Government is used by Callaghan and Healey as
EARLY PEN