Preparing for Rank & File Conference The tasks that lie ahead

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stewards into those of national officials.

to take the steam our of their wage claim.

how.

IDe Tesus of these two ballots should sound the alarm bells the labour THOUS пел. The Leyland result virtually commits the workforce to accentine lo per cent incrcase In wages this year and next year despite the massive voles substants may neresses in cant after plant year.

The fact that the miners ballo took place at all was a defeat for the left and for the democracy of then given the he N Conference in Tynmouth this sumbiber.

Nor can these results he writt en off as an exception to the rule. Since the decision Congress to back the 12 month rule there have been a bumber of important set-backs in the fight LUE 10995 9489 One of the first was Southampton dockers of a Phase 2 deal. All the major ports were lined up hehind a secret dare for strike action which CYNCH INC Coverument's provisions. That vote defused the rest of the port HELCHCE In Sourhampton Jack Jones personal intervention secured a Leyland workers suffered a major blow this week after they had voted 2-1 in a secret ballot to accept a document taking wage negotiations out of the hands of shop At the same time, miners were expected to accept a productivity deal by a small majority in another secret ballot. The object of that deal was to split the unity that miners built up in their great strikes of 1972 and 1974 and The Rank and File Conference meeting in November has valuable lessons to learn from these set-backs in determining its own way forward, STEVE POTTER says ENCI TECHECICU Longbridge plant when Communist Parry spring strike action on his membership. Even though Robinson got mis majore for such actan for t took ouly 400 right wingers to demonstrate and Rabinson backof thousands of workers who bad vated the other way. waw. theFord claim (analysed on p.6) was not discussed by mass meetings, with ONe SION CATHER EITHE any plan of action developed b tbe union leaderships concernec beletion comine from he plast leaderships, of a bad job by voting for the deal. the But this is only one side of the story. Substantial IN INCHNINE NO BOIS Strike statistics show the simmer. ing anger at the fail in living deals, the Scottish Torry drivers being the latest example, scitled for to percent ma. the the fact remains Above all, that shop stewards and plans leaderships will pot acceps tha the rerusal DE DOr nanoon leaders to organise action means that wages struggles are off for another year.

And It is those rank and fue leaderships who are the main bossies with the collusion of the trade union bureaucrats.

With productivity dealing major component every teet they sive l gelting clearer every emplaying class and the goserment are stepping up their offensive to use the Leyland's buresucracy as a wedge between the convenor, ed workers and the rest of the WELLELLED working class, organisation and strangling the The need for a centralised fight back against this offensive never been more argent. demands alternative which can start to come to grips with the depth of the oconomic crisis in Britain, SEAL LO taclics of workers control.

But bureaucratie manoeuvres CAN SOODIESE DIE OLEL OL TOWAR allowed to take land's comorate package overwhelmingly rejecte he deal. The secret ballot doe minorities case to be put at the time when STEENT workers are making up their CHEES Toss netinet must be the of mass meetings must be have Branne to defend workers de HENCE cent norm.

auntability of all strike committPhoto: ANDREW WIARD (Report)

of virtually trade union both by under democracy which keeps officials policies policies which make the case for the six months.

opposing this lesson Manchester This must be accom the RAF. ces; for all negotiations to be meeting sions of the rank and file from start to finish; for the election and right of recall of full time For these policies to have any which lights for them must be listed on-going, capahle of swinging its behind these localised trugales on wages which will br the most nrominent fencute Di the industrial socoe over the next That's why an organisation which wants to scart the fight back itself must be a mode of workers democracy ibself. I is therefore extremely unfortunate that the Rank and File Coordin to heart in the of the upcorning Conference on 26 November in Last week Socialist Worker, chael Pent bad been deted announced that

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SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 3 November 1977 Page B