"left' and'right" wings operate at National Committee.
The right-wing leaders will have a lot of explaining to do. Last year, with the welcome help of Hugh Scanion, they succeeded in tying the union to yet another year collaboration with the antiCaSS policies of Labour Government. Prior to the secretary John Boyd wrote in the LEw Journal •With the continuing oneration of the Trade Union Movement, I believe that Labour Government will confound the economists and critics, and reducing TOLLIE Intanon unemployment over the next 12 economic recovery signs are obvious; let's make sure that a Tory Government does not reap the reward and enjoy the credit of present joint TUC co-operation.
With inflation rising past 17 per cent and unemployment showing every sign of rising again, the one and a quarter million members of the AUEW nave a rignt to know from John Boyd and his rightwing conoris wnal nappenco te their promises and their signs of recovery'.
The only reason why the memEngineering Workers [Engineering Section] meets in Eastbourne. The most crucial decision facing the 52 rank-and-file delegates will be whether to continue the current AUEW policy of supporting the Social Contract. Whatever the decision, it will be taken against the background of a growing wave of revolt throughout the union against the Social Contract, particularly the restrictions on living standards.
In the past two months AUEW members at British Leyland and now at Heathrow have defied Executive Council instructions to return to work despite direct appeals - from member Reg Birch at British Airways. It is against this growing shop-floor revolt that every vote and decision will be judged. Most particularly how the well-defined block bership might not even bother to ask is that every member knows of reducing inflation. As soon as the National Committee in 1976 had duly given the Labour Government the go-ahead to wages, Boyd felt free to write in the June 1976 issue of the Journal demanding that the Government relax the price code, thus increasco- ing inflation. our PROFITS CULE A controlled revision of prices shoule De agreed provided increased profits be wholly directed into further investment.
Thus overnight the Social ConDOLICY. "controlling inflation and reducing unenDiovmen our for maximus ing profit margins. to create jobs has the same ring of miracle-wishing as Boyd's visions of economic recovery.
However John Boyd is not the only one with a lot of explaining to do. At last year's National Committee 23 out of the 52 delegates voted against the Social Contract and 22 delegates voted for campaign against wage restraint.
Among those 22 were delegates representing such dustrial centres as Dundee, Lanca shire, Sheffield East. Len Brindle. a convenor in British Leyland from Chorley, was quotes as staune unar unc mcmock" ship of the AUEW accept another year of wage restraint. He was correct. In mass TACCUTES. lies, branch meetings and recently in strikes at British Leyland and Heathrow, the message is coming home loud and clear.
But the leadership of the Broad Left has done nothing to mobilise this discontent into a fight to break the Social Contract. that, where struggles have develnot for oped which have threatened the existence of the Social Contract they have lined up with the right That British WInE SACKING On the Executive both Reg Birch and Les Dixon, the two remaining members, voted right wing to support the sacking of the Leyland toolmakers. After the National Committee in 1976 important inand the Southwould not shop stewards quarterMOre Worse than anourer vear with the AUEW Executive faces turbulent future from rank and file.
the Broad Left leadership packed their bags and went home for Even modest proposals like that of a lobby of the forthcoming National Committee against the Social Contract have been avoided like the plague. At the Broad Left National Conference in February the platform refused to permit a vote on such a proposal. Aside they The only from the odd demagogic speech by the Broad Left Presidential candidate, Bob Wright, the real role of the Broad Left leadership has been to avoid even the sniff of a real ignt. It tnis coming year does no see a struggle by the AUEW to break out of the straitjacket of the - regardless of what the U may negotiate then the leadership of the Broad Left will bear the blame. For once cannot claim that the rank-and-file is not ready for a fight.
problem is that the traditional militant leadership has Whatever the outcome the lessons of the last year are that no con fidence can be placed in those who claim to oppose it. Saying you are against incomes policy and the wing while sacking toolmakers does not inspire confi dence. Not only are new policies needed - but a new leadership must be built and that fight must be at the centre of every militant struggle in the next year.
-Del built out of the struggles of the membership at British Levland. at Heathrow around such issues as the Equal ray night at ricos, out of the organisation of stewards to build steward combine Region 3 where Jim Murray, a convenor on Tyneside, stood against the Broad Left official candidate; out of the District Committee election in Birminghan East where for the first time a revolutionary socialist fought an election with broad-based backing from many factories; through the building in every area of the country of real organsalOn which group together militants on the basis of wanting to organise a real fight-back against the Social Contract and the right wing on the broadest possible basis of unity Only if these steps can begin to be taken will something positive be salvaged from the betrayals of the last three years.