Rank & File Conference Manchester 23 June to Britain's immigration immigration page 13 FEATURES • Why the leaders of the Charter 77 group of Czech dissidents have been arrested...
• What is going on in Iran...page 11 * Funny how American oil companies have profits of between 144 to 389 per cent during the oil "crisis. page 13 • If you think that cricket is a boargeois game, you'd better find out how it's developed in the West Indies... page 15 LAST Thursday Len Murray had talls with Margaret Thatcher.
Mr Murray is general secretary of the Trades Union Congress. He represents over 12 million working people. His job is to defend their interests, protect their rights sad fight for a rise in their standard of living.
Thatcher is a Tory Prime Minister. She has promised to artack a number of traditional rights ol trade unionists. Her government is drawing up a budger with one of the most swingeing attacks on the working class seen in post war years.
Thatcher is presiding over a prices explosion which will hit working people parlicularly hard. And her government is about to announce large salary increases for judges, top civil servants, and, incitubly, cabinet members and members of parliament.
So why did Mr Murray have talks with Mrs Thatcher? What possible common ground can the two have? What did Margaret Thatcher and Len Murray say to each other?
We do not know the answers to these he made no statements.
running jump. calks with Thatcher on the budget.
'Secret' talks The exercise just 1930s was for him incompatible questions because Ten Murray has refused to provide them. What happened at these taiks was secrer, Murray retused to give any details, I any of the trade unionists in whose nante Murray went to see Thatcher last week want to know what was said on their behalf, then as far as Murray is concerned they can go take a back pocket There is only one possible reason for these - and the previous ones the TUC had steward.
muent bave bern worthwhile if immediately the meeting had ended Murray had outlined the exact delails of the Tory's plans to attack working people; explained what the TUC would do in defence;
with the most right-wing government since the with his applies → position as gencral secretary of the TUC In doing none of those things and instead insisting that the talks were "privale", Murray did more than show gross contempt for the people he is meant to represent.
The mose inexperienced shop steward could have told the TUC general secretary that negotiating on a basis of 'what can I give you' is like walking into a jail with handcuffs in your But Murray doesn't see things like that.
After all he bas never even been a shop Accordingly, it is up to those of us who are shop stewards and those of us who are rank and file trade unionists to insist that the trade union leaders immodiately cease their private, cosy chats at 10 Downing Street.
Their job should be quite different: to organise a united fight back against the Tories.
If they refuse to do that then other means of performing the same task will bave to be found Whichever way is chosen the same principle - no talks with the Tory juiler, but break out of the prison.
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