An official of the print union NATSOPA is arrested outside the Grunwick picket line in 1977 (above) as mass pickets assembl Tory government.
against these Act.
use union proposals than the victorious Industrial Relations Act.
Proposals same proposals as 'Concordat' ballots, position.
has gains have - which fightback the and is the... laws constitute Every Code ot Practice 1s a Every act of Prior proposals being passed. outside Lessons fine that union with the the Shrewsbury picket trials:
unionist who movement industrial Relations Act under fbe last doouncis, and important shop stewards What is clear is that the fightback proposals. will be even tougher than that against the Industrial Thatcher JUSt determined as Heath and far cleverer.
At the same time, the trade union leaderships are even more reluctant to power to smash these they were 1972.
Callaghan is urging them on by his call to leave opposition to the Labour Party in Parliament, and by his opposition to industrial action tor political ends.
In fact, the Duffys, Boyds, Chapples, and Jacksons who dominate the today are the very people who opposed struggle against the (Report)
The TUC put forward many of the the lories. in its with the last government. ANDREW WIARD attacks on union democracy, opposition to strikers and pickets are the very means by which the self-confessed right wing maintains its Boyd, Chapple, Duffy and the rest will put up no serious fight against these being extended by the Tories. How then can the fightback be carried out?
The first valuable initiative in the Code of Practice adopted by the Rank and File 'Defend our Unions' conference held a few weeks ago. While criticisms could be made of this or that point, the Code is a good basis for waging a fight in the unions.
A fight should be put up to get it adopted by every possible trade union organisation from local to national level. Militants supporting its policies should for it ether in the various unions to fight But the real problem is how to move into activity those people who did not attend the Rank and File conference. The good initiative because it can reach out to these forces. But it can only play a really effective role if it is also part of organising opposition to defend the unions and prevent the Here real lessons can be drawn from the fight against the Industrial Relations Act, and also from struggles to defend trade union rights such as that against the conviction of Des Warren and others in Dozens or local committees were se up to defend the unions. Some were local Liaison Committees for the Defence of Trade Unions but the most effective were those set up through authoritative local Prior's Bill would make both illegal. laws has to be based on the rank and?? of the trade unions, this is in itself enough. The weight which is neede defeat the Tory proposals means that fight has to get the official trade tai movement, upto and including the TU OKC HOS It was the threat of a general str which freed the Pentonville Five It strike by the Engirk Union which ended the NIRC. This of action is now needed to deft Tories' proposals.
Leadership But obviously this type of won't come about overnight f larly with the present leadership How can this be built fo action waged again proposals now?
The first fight is to commit pa : to call industrial action forthcoming Bill. •The" national strikes trial late the helped build up massive opposit They also helped t measures on the TUC, such as for unions to register under the A The TGWU conference, ha for maximum resistance to the proposals. to be put as a specific call tot and every other union to call action to prevent the Bill bes