THE LABOUR Government has got away with things the Tories only dreamed of because it has won important political battles.
When the firefighters went on strike to defend their living standards, Callaghan and Co claimed that the issue was the future of the Labour Government. If the firefighters were allowed lo break ten per cent. other workers would follow.
The Liberals would withdraw their support. The Government would fall. The Tories would return.
In order to deal with such arguments, un alternative to the Social Contract is required. It is useless to argue a 'specin case as did the Fire Brigades Union leaders. TRETEY Isolates those workers engaged in strugale.
The Government simply replies: "If we stick together with the Social Contract we all make sacrifices today, But they will be small compared to the gains for everyone tomorrow. So don't rock the boat, don't struggle, Jim'll fix Such arguments have a real attraction to workers not involved in struggle, when they stand to make no gains from Unfortunately, even those like the Leyland toolroom workers who took action in the face of massive opposition from their own union leaders as well as the Government, lance to connor these arguments head on. They tried to avoid the question of the Social Contract Dy taking their stand on another "special case' that skilled worker should maintain differentials.
But this made it very difficult to win support for their strike action, because within the framework of the Social Contract their interests appeared to run quite counter to those of semi-skilled and unskilled workers.
LEAP FROGGING The toolmakers' response was not a new one. It was the way workers struggled in the 1960s. When the press used to complain about socalled leap frogging. they were referring to: one group of workers See you at the Conference!
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE Is culling = trade anion conference. We have approached Socialist Voice and Big Flame newspapers to Jointly SOOTSOE the conference on the hasis of broad agreement with the perspective outlined in this broadsheet.
The conference is mot designed to establishi a new body in opposition to other organisations of the left. It will provide a forum where militeets can exchange expericaces. Discussion will centre on how to fight for a anited democratic orgunisation to struggle against the class collaborationist right wing for policies in the interests of workers and for a union leadership prepared to carry these our. going into struggle for parity followed by another to maintain differentials.
That was all very well in the "60s Wages kept ahead of prices. There wa "full employment'. The social services were expanding. Women gained Increased rights, such as the 1967 Abortion Act, and despite low pay were encouraged to seck employment. such a time, the idea of looking afler the little things and letting the big things look after themselves appeared quite credible.
With the prescat massive attacks on living standards, and on issues such a racism and restrictions of women s rights, we can no longer rely on the methods of the last decade. These "big questions are ignored at our peril, The Grunwick strikers found that even a fight for trade union recognition has Involved a head on confrontation with the State.
The crisis Is not of the workers' Why should we take responsibilicy for it through wage restraint? We must campaign to break the Social BREAK PACT The Liberals did not join the Lib-Lab pact to defend the interests of the workers. They did so to prop up me Government's anti-working class policies. The pact must be broken, A united fightback can only emerge if we take a clear stand on such issues. But It is not enough to fight against the Government's policies. We must also put forward alternative policies socialist policies, which can provide lasting gains for the working class from its struggies.
Everyone knows that a strike fos higher wages is very difficult to win. But it can be done. The British Oxygen workers won 26 percent. But with inflation running in double figures this will soon he eroded. Workers have to run to stand automatic cat of living cases can Demands provide lasting gains and represent part of a socialist alternative to Labour's Social Contract.
In the face of the racist onslought of the Tories and the fascists, the Labour engage in debate about how many blacks should he kept out of COOLE Bricain. But black people are no more responsible for the crisis than are white workers. We must insist on the repeal of all inuigration laws and an end to Porticalar emphasis will be placed on drawing out lessons from the Grunwick and Tirelgalers to how militants can suppart and feht for socialist policies in the context of such strugeles.
We will he discussing campaigas for socialist policies to: i for moment standards against racism, for women rights, and for democrsey in the And we will be discussing the general COMMIS that can he drawn desciopments in particular and anions for the fight for u dans struggle left-wing the labour movement as a whole. Reactionary attacks on rights must be met with a real commitment to policies for free abortion on demand, adequate bursery facilities, paid maternity leave and so on. Such lemands are summed up in Working Women's Charter.
The example of the Charter holds out other lessons. It has become policy in a number of unions. The whire-collar section of the Engineering Union, ASS, 10 was quick to launched any real fight around its demands: and parcel of ans campnign for socialist policies in the unions must be a fight for a leadership prepared to support and furtber mass action to win them.
Rank and file militants have shown their enthusiasm for uniting discussing the policies for launching che fightback. When called to take action by their leadership they esponded - like the 80,000-strong emonstration again cuta. in ovember 1976. When there appear to be viable forums for discussing policies and organising around them they have been quick to rally around them. thousand delegate atteaded the Assembly on Unemploy February 9h1 conference of the February conference Liaison Committee for the Defence of similar number attended the "Leyland TUC" in March last year, OPPOSITIONS Steps towards building organisel oppositions to the right wing have advanced in a number of unions. The Broad Left in the Civil Service Union adopted at its last conference fighting policies and an democratio structure All tendencies are free to operate inside it and put forward their ova positions. Minority positions are represented on its leading bodies and jo its journal. On this basis, it successfull led the fight against right-wing assaults on union democracy at the recent CPSA rules revision conference.
The Socialist Teachers Alliance in the National Union of Teachers is a smail but important development. It secks to involve left-wing teachers democratic opposition and fights for the and have TO