The substance of the concordat is reminiscent of an editorial in the Daily Express.
"There is no answer to all society's problems in confrontation', the concordat declares, of interest': what's needed is a 'general consensus in society"
the heart of "consensus" must be *partnership between government and the union movement' as the basis for 'economic recovery Many poncal commentators have stressed the unreal character of the concordat. There is no way it will bail out the Labour government in election terms.
The government's savage anti-working class policies over the past four years will ensure a massive Labour abstention in the General Election later this year.
Nor will the concordat roll back the immediate struggles The public sector wages. strike intensifying. engineers' claim for 33 per cent 35-hou week submitted this week.
Despite this, the proposals should by no means be written off as an irrelevant and vain face-saving attempt by Callaghan and company.
In the first place, concordat represents a continuing political offensive aimed at weakening militant workers' struggles. It harps on about between 'trade union movement' and to specify some of the content of such collaboration.
includes provision increased use of secret ballots in strike action; acciang strict code of conduct picketing, and a 'more flexible' interpretation of closed shop agreements Finally, it provides for an annual tripartite arrangement including the government, the CBI and the TUC to decide on the general level of SCLLLCHICHLS In a veled passage. it lavs down that by 1982 wage rises must be below 5 percent.
In the absence of politician icacing trade union leader, political will some impact.
It will give a real fillip to the Tory offensive on relations. IN BREACH of the decisions of every major union General Council are putting the finishing touches to a new social contract — the so-called concordat.
Ken Gill, Council member and leading member of the Party, went on radio on Sunday to say that the concordat would mean *death to the trade tripant if there were be tripartite arrangement deciding wage levels.
But Gill put forward no alternative to the concordat's this basic formula, other than that a higher growth rate of 10 per the cent would allow for larger trade wage rises.
He made no appeal to recall the TUC to stop this attempt to overturn Congress *Put agreed policy concordat' was the headline of the Morning Star on Monday. Initiatives from rank and file workers are pointing the way to an alternative to Callaghan's schemes. Cutting ment is suggested by the fight for the 35-hour week, and by workers' plans at Lucas and Vickers for the production of socially useful products.
Decisions by democratically elected strike committees in the The DOLTI une lorry public sector strikes on the provision of essential services the strike-breaking schemes of the employers.
Demands by teachers cutting class sizes would both improve education and employ out-of-work teachers. larly, BEne the workers for a programme direct public works would both CUL unemployment socially useful.
Such actions and proposals the are the start concordat, but a workers' plan to beat the crisis.
for WarC any this have Harrow COHSE shop steward THE struggle in Harrow centring Hospital. Lightning staff, and all members of the COHSE branch nurses and clerical staff - have operated overtime bans and WOrK OTHes Nurses at the hospital will be stepping up action in pursuit of their own pay claim. nurses in the psychiatric ward General have already staged a one-day strike. However, closure of this Communist WarU shortages.
The situation at Northwick displays the link between the low pay of NHS workers and the crisis in the health service.
The hospital was Christmas due snortages, walle two hospitals are under construcorder, the council th he The NUPE replied: emergency Northwick Park strikes the Cleveland. ( including from NUPE, GMWU the Indeed and town halls.
In both staff ward of the closed prosperous areas.
to staff private have already promised West on By Glyn Jones NUPE leaders heavy Cleveland to on an involves West Authority and al all. pickets have to The Wales's NUPE shop steward members in West Glamorgan have inflicted a defeat on their local employers who had attempted victimise workers taking action in pursuit of the £60, 35-hour week claim.
It was on 22 January that the Glamorgan Health told its employees LICY didn't work *normally' they wouldn't work In line with this threat, 119 ambulance drivers were locked out after saying they would operate an 'emergency only' NUPE area shop stewards committee for health rity hit back by organising a series of acttons. Domestics worked tion, to rule, porters took selective strikes, and laundry workers operatca a restricca service through the union. * Jane Sirkett was one of the speakers at a meeting on the public sector claim held by Camden Socialist Challenge Group on 7 February. Thirty attended.
Camden NUPE has called for a support committee to organise solidarity with their strike (see centre pages). This meets next on Tuesday, February, 7.30pm, Greenland: Road Community Centre London NWI.
Teachers out TEACHERS at half a dozen London schools refused fo cross NUPE picket lines during a one-day strike by caretakers, cleaners, and school meals staff on 7 Hebruary Among those taking solidar.
action were groups teachers at Central Founda Langdon Park.
Morpeth secondary schools in East London. Other schools were forced to close for the day.
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conference, of the TUC Congress and of the Labour Party Conference, the government and the TUC