ARE THE shaping Callaghan's a replay this questiona being asked tators at let vecks the in Blackpool.
Lionel Murray and the TUC tops did their damnedest to ensure that as few possible provided. Congress proceedings were conducted by and large monotone, interrupted only by the occasional anti-Tory remark to the effect that this. the reactionary government since the war and we haveso be united in the face of its attacks:
LEN MURRAY One thing was clear, however. The sort of unity' that they talked about was a million miles from the united working class action that destroyed the Heath government in 1974. That unity was forged by the unofficial strikes. called by the Committee for the Defence of Trade Unions against the Relations Bill; by the official strikes called by the AUEW that followed; by the factory occupations and work-ins against redundancy and closure 1971-2; by the 1972 miners' against the 7 per cent norm; by the strikes to free the Pentonville Five dockers in July 1972. struggles were launched within first two years of premiership.
prepel such action.
• 7C10 After massive wilheidwa most calling goverment's moans within their power cres demens It wad been spon Communist Party, and witha AUEW delegations i had chance of being sur defeated ba one card million); with Joe Gormley against.
On the delegation had been amendment this wasn't manaren to unity, too. interests of 'unity' that they Collecice Tory attacks.
Liaison his silence was Terry Duffy.
mention.
In strike LUSY conterence genuine feeling for a stage-managed All these cannot hide that.
But the Heath's was outside the But the appeals for unity that were indole the Winter Cardars lst week acht in the opposte direction to Bring such strugsies, Insteed they were the banner under which Murray, Basnett and Jackson hoped to prevent The first victims of their kind of "imity" were motions from UCATT andthe Bakers' Union. These motions called for the talks with the Tories to be broken off and for a national day of action against the Prior proposals.
pressure they were Similar pressure - again in the name of 'unity - was applied to the now famous Furniture Union amend ment to the main General Council unions, to resist policies by Despite the t dent was not withe Left majority in the big TOWU Tho HarTe west of vote. (61,000 om using tile interpretation of 'unity in the miners. delegation to ensure that they voted d been told that um NUM was going to be withdrawn, When it turned out that the case, Gormiey how to cast the union's stevoted for the amendment had their own ideas about Doubtless it was in the went along with the majority decision of general secretary so much as whispered to the press any intention of pushing ahead to promote mass action to resist the The leader most conspicuous by ALEW president The fact that his members form the major part of the two million-odd engineering workers now taking strike action didn't get a Yet the engineers strikes show that in the real world outside halls there. Is light. The unity of Congress contradiction between tion. happening and Winter Gardens does onstration against the crucial the enormous potential power of the aes, it takeş more than fighting spirit to win genuine . and The employers understand this. Frightened by the militancy that was demonstrated last winter, they have been prepared to grant significant wage rises to those workers at the end of the pay round. And they'll be trying to bumer end as beal nave means this time round. already offered 17 per cent their financial state (and have seen it rejected).
But they will combine this with a complete intransigence in the face of any demands such as the 35-hour week which wolle seriousy beem to challenge their plans for rationalisaThere was no answer political problem at the TUC, even policy on the economy.
lasting strategy which recognises the need for cooperation in economy, which involves workers and unions at every level and challenges hem to accept new responsibilities, strategy which recognises the need fo government control of key decisions. and which social priorities right.' despite to this must iDe As Murray explained: 'Ours is a managing schemes. gets the economic and And he went on to 'recognise that RESULT SOF have or elsewhere; we know that industrit viable they • are competing in world markets...
But the acceptance of this means the acceptance of capitalist rationalonly strategy that can urst open the blockage imposed t the TUC tops is one that challeng the very heart of the collaborationist action for •socialist policies is what's needed. And the fight for a new leadership committed to such a strategy is vital HOLLAND
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SLABOUR! ACTS market pressure the ride fo