After starting a strike with even greater public sympathy than the miners' strike of 1974, ТВо совсе всостеса вл offer within the Government's 10 percent code In a press conference tolowing toe acnate terry Parry claimed that: Long term KH WALL HE CUBAN save been won, that other trade right arm for." But when asked the pay promises would be immune from the fourth round of incomes policy in November being mooted by Jim Callaghan, he said 'promises from Mr Callaghan himself.
But the strike was called precisely because of the failure of Labour and Tories to honour past promises on payNor is the FBU going back to work in a strong posation to enforce those promises. 1n Lincolnshire, for example, the County Council is going on tbe offensive and claiming that fewer appliances used for fire cover during the strike are now *I shudder to think what would have happened to me if it was not for the police'. That was Terry Parry after he had squirmed past 350 lobbying firemen at the Bridlington recall conference. And no wonder.
A majority of three to one accepted Rees surrender proposals and the mine week old firemens' strike was finally crushed by its own leadership and the TUC.
sul bocent for permanentine But even if the promises of uture micreases are met this cannot compensate for the cut in feel wages which the Isremen are suffering now by accepting Ju DeE cell. more could bave been won, but when the FBU leadership failed to call for ctive support from the 1 nion leaders who voted 1 support of a compaign against the 10 per cent at the TUE Seneral Coanel meetine not December demanding that L organise natonal sondar ity action — they set up their members for deteal.
RESPONSIBILITY it was because alore bad have been won, and the FBU leadership failed to take the steps to achieve it, that they inuse bear the responsibility for the defeat of the strike alope with the TUC General Coupei?.
There are those on the left who would like to think otherwise The Morning Stur, in its Editorial of 13 January, says DE the real responsibility lies 'not with the leadership of the Fire Brigades Union', but with the General Council majority.
This is hardly surprising since to have criticised ibe FBU leadership would have meant facing up to the disastrous failure of the TUC minority, including Dist Party member Ken Gill, to wage a campaign SURE REBOO TOILEE unionists with the firemen.
amon leadership SOLD UP THE DIVER BICCELEI strike. Jim Battersea FBU argued:
equally Commofor mass.
from the unaccountables.
committees Forward, I remind date for the Rank and File Firemen"
After the lobby of the Bridlington conference, a (Jeremien discussed the lessons of tbe Fitzpatrick •of *If there is one thing every lisation man here is committed to, it is driving Terry Party our of the union. The achievement of this strike is that many workers need to democratise the union.
removing the "We have to make sure that resolutions that are moved through branches to remove Parry are made to stick' Denocracy is certainly a central lesson, but Rank and File should have been fighting for this throughout the struggle by calling for elected strike area and national level to plan the way Equally it should have been Taside the union to national solidarity by other trade Instead the rank and file group attempted to substitut itself and its bulletin for national union strike bulleten. raising no demands upon the : FBL leadership, and simply calling for the rank and file to organise flying pickets.
Unfortunately even iniciatives at rank and file level could not he achieved without confront ing the union leadership who sation to preter trad other trade unionists.
In the absence of any clear allernative strategy for winning the strike, the executive were able to win a vote for a return to work. Wbist this is certainly a defcat for the firensen, as for all workers suftering wage curs, a fighthack agninst the union leadership is possible.
UNION LEADERS The claims to insurance offices (standing at E42.700,000 for November against an SETTLE of E18,500,000 month on average show that it was not only the troops, but also the TUC and the union leaders who defeated the strike.
Thousands of firemen realise this. Rank and File Firemen should now hold a national conference of FBU militants to thrash our a policy which can Teally challenge Parry and his supporters on the executive, and prepare the FBO for Tuture struggles.
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MERSEYSIDE REJECT O MERSEYSIDE WONT BE