West London Medical branch delegate Dominic Costa demands action against wage cuts 'Same militant policies, same lack of action by Gill', commented one delegate leaving last week's conference of TASS, the staff section of the AUEW This year, as last, the conference voted to reject the Government's pay curbs. But no systematic campaign for national action by the union on 26 May and no fight to mobilise the membership against the pay deal was proposed.
With the leadership standing politely No action from aside for Jones and Scanlon, the rank-andme nave to take te lead, roncies passea at the conference provide a starting point. The demand for a 35 hour week with no loss of pay was passed with an amendment condemning systematic overtime.
industrial democracy was not possible wnile te means or production remamea under private ownership. The motion recognised that the bureaucratic management of nationalised industries must be ended. Unfortunately the motion con fined itself to putting up blue-prints for worker participation, rather than show ing how the demand of opening the books enables the rank and file to formulate their own solutions through the fight for workers control.
Militants in TASS can take a lead through the fight to get these policies implemented. They will not get it from their leadership.