THE TUC-Government drive to overturn union conference decisions and impose the 12-month rule por into top gear last week. Callaghan trotted out the argument that has been used to get through Phase 1 and 2 of the Sociai Contract —ло 12-month rule, no Labour Covernment.
The TUC leaders needed little prompting. Only Jour days after Healey's speech the TUC Economic Committee corne oar neate nc dccoom of the majority of trade won aa as coamr or declaring their support forthis socidi-contract-by-the-backdoor' For thar is what the 12-month rule is, JOHN ROSS explains.
JACK JONES was the first trade union leader to rish to frustrate the policy of his own The transport workers' Isie of Man conference had voted decisively for a return to unfettered collective bargaining from 1 August.
Within a fortnight Jones has Nown in the face of that decision Dy scung oul a circular Irom Transport House declaring: *We their holidays.
are still bound by TUC decisions WITEUWTE TAT4RC cent) formula to apply for the full 12 month neriod.
Hugh Scanlon, Presdent of the отеск sa, mas not gout telomed by tie Cui outdone. In a SCEL SurmOEOTLICmODa rule on the basis that 'a bargain made is a bargain kept"
Scanlon's and the TUC's talk: about "bonouring bargaina" rubbish. No-one with any cight to CU TICMS NC A OaC kader would think chat it B u 'bargain" to be honoured whes UNC MEC INC BOCETR CIRSS IUR received a 7 per cent cut in living standards and the employers, has gained a 30 per cent increase in profits.
CONTROLS The employers and the Government never could have and never did intend to deliver anyway. Healey sold the wage controls on the promise that price rises would be down to 10 per cent Dy ine cho Dl 1950. How, cycn sD rimming at over 17 per cemt. What that, they Wheusted at t ie Mr ai Hhe discussed URCOT COASE COA TIC ARSE BER Now this has occurred. Tha THE MONTH OF AUGUST will see the beginning of a vital battle in the car industry between skilled workers and 1,200 toolmakers in the Lucas Combine Birmingham factories, 7,500 workers face a lock-out when they return from figure could calculated on the basis of knowlodge that inflation wouldn't fall to anything remotely resembling Scanton Onpe again this s a straightforward lie which neither he nor any employer believes. The inflaential stockbrokers Phillips and Drew have inflation will still be running at 15 per cent next vear.
Social Contract it was spid ta the movement and in mans cases by conscious arendOn ov Movermenr BTE union leaders. Having lied and cheated the labour movement into aTeLa DOSIC sandards it is pure hypocrisy for these same leaders to stand up and call the working class to honour Mwai justly their side bargain but a Contrick Given the real figures on inflation there must be no ilesion shout what the 12 month rule wal: mean for living standards. With 5 eF CENE DAY FiBS Mnder FRSe celt, teal buying power of wages nasses. Loaccepl a 12 month dea will mean wage cuts nearing 1D per cent. For this rcason alone the 12 month rule must be thrown out.
ouly have.
under Phase 3 already stated that ONCEL!
through lies.
SCANLY welcomed by the CBl called not a powerful with every day that employers CTLCaI London.
TULINE Tuar TAC Tory take any achon situation in speech was ncedco In le But in addition to its direct effect in wage cutting, the 12 month rule is also a deadly weapon to divide the stroggle of the working class.
The wages policy, the restriction onthe money sucalv, and the cas Enits in the publis sector are weapons to he used Shape to use. them against isolated groups of workers WI HEE COTE OOUEEOOL L whale power of the ruling class by themselves. That was how the Tooimaters ar one of their nationai meetings called during their dispute earlier this year. Now they ment again 'he deal was concluded prior t government deleated the DOS DES AEK MOSMIRI POrECT. while the TUC sot by. talkine abour "solidarity" * but refusing ta This employers policy can he defialed butit boeds utiled action to do it, The 2momb nule breaksue and stops united struggles even within, let alone between, different sections of workers.
Take, for example, merely the the healtb service Doctors will be nutting in claiits cow. But under the 12 manth rule ancillary workers can't light until December. Meanwhile health maintenance workers BOUlen come úp for a claim until Januury and nurses, midwives and admin April. The united fight urgently health service is prevented by the 12 month rule demanded by the TUC Simularly in the mocor industry the claims ate strung our under the 1 month rule herween OctoDe for Fords, Noveraber for British Leyland Longbeid escn late for Frirsh Leylard Cowley, an s0 00. The 12 month rule is direct sabotags strupele in all soctors What is more, the TUC A strike of the 1,200 workers was declared from 4 July and has heer declared afficial by Birmingham LATINCE COT LI Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers. But so far there is no The tim teis holidars on i turi from their bolidays promises to Lucas bosses are confident thai they can bold out, despite the Dependence DI me Ct Iauss 0 Luces products, because of the sow-down in production in the asrempe to impose the 12 manth open strike breaking. Many groups of workers have claime that would breach the 12 montl rule. The TUC position world meae direct atracks s on the miner: BL OMLE OUAS UI MOTACLA SOO calis to the labour movement to Faoed with the sabolage of Joncs, Scanlon, Murray and Co. there is no doubt Lha against the 12 month rule is goinp to beascriousand bitter onc. lehas That means puttiog in wige claims from 1 August. If micans a missive lohby bf the TUC Monday S September lo demand The TRECuOIDE with Healy; no 12 month rule wage claims protected by cost of Ivine increams o compensat felly for falls in living scandards under Phases I and 2, and Juil SHaDOC LUETOEHIC working class going into strugele
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bosses. Plans are going ahead for a one day stoppage of Leyland toolmakers on 8 August. While after a strike of