GLC, pay the tube workers!

Scan page 2

Appeal grows The conference can either take a lead to organise a fight, or remain yet another talking shop.

From the first conference on local government, initiated by the SCLV in June 1979, through the two Lambeth conferences, the central dividing line on the Left was the question of rate and rent rises:

From those who supported such rises as a tactic to buy time and to build a campaign, no campaign has emerged, only attacks on working class living standards.

Now it is no longer a question of buying time. With Heseltine's proposed legislation and penalties, time has run out.

Even at such a late stage, the conference can rally a fightback against the Tories and in defence of working class living standards. It should be clear from the outset that the fightback has to go outside the Labour Party and look for support from the shop floor and the states. The only alternative is collapse at the feet of the Tories and further cuts, dressed up by promises to do better once we have a Labour Government.

If the conference is to have any credibility, it must dissociate itself from the GLC Labour Group on the tube workers' pay and demand that the GLC pay the 15% claim.

A resolution of support should also be sent to the Lothian Action Committee, and the conference should set up a small working committee to approach Lothian for a national conference to call industrial action against the cuts. It should call on the GLC Labour Group to be a major sponsor of this conference.

The resolution passed at the recent T&GWU conference, pledging industrial action to back councils standing firm against cuts, provides ready-made platform building for support. THE LONDON Underground workers' claim is 15%, and London Transport have offered 8% -which is below the level of inflation, and thus a wage-cutting offer. The tube workers will strike on July 20th if their claim is not met.

So the Labour Greater London Council (GLC) is rapidly approaching situation where it will be doing exactly the opposite of what it was elected to do — represent the interests of the working people in London.

The GLC Manifesto said: "A Labour GLC will primarily act to defend and improve the living standards of working people in London. Labour will support working people's industrial and political struggles for a better life and against the Tory government"

What are the tube workers doing but struggling for better living standards?

The cut and pegged tube fares will better the living standards of everyone in London - but (if the GLC sticks to 8 per cent) at the expense of the workers in the industry. The Left council has chosen to administer London Transport for the 'general good' and to cut loose from the interests of the tube workers who say that such improvements should not be at their expense.

Interviewed in Socialist Organiser before the election, Ken Livingstone (now leader of the GLC) said: "Whenever there is an industrial dispute in London, we shall go down and support it. Local GL facilities will be put al the disposal of the strikers".

And indeed, in the first week the GLC was power, County Hall was handed over to the People's Marchers. The Time Out strikers have been well supported by the GLC with premises and publicity.

And • the GLC has scrapped "civil defence. The ILEA Labour group has voted to go ahead with cutting school meal prices, despite threats of surcharge, though there is doubt whether they will impose a whip to force through the price cut at the full ILEA meeting.

So why oppose the tube workers claim? Ken Livingstone now says: • To meet the NUR claim would require a supplementary rate and lead to more grant losses" There will be a supplementary rate anyway, and if meeting a pay claim isn't worth fighting for against the Tories, then what is?

If the Labour GLC can't side with workers who claim 15% on wages when inflation is running at 15% or so, then what use are all its gestures and actions as benevolent administrators?

Livingstone's argument comes down to - we can't do much with a Tory government, as they keep on taking grants away from us. We'll have to wait until the next Labour Government.

On the NUR side, there no doubt that Sid Weighell is cynically using the tube workers' claim as a stick to beat the Left as represented by the GLC Labour group.

Sid Weighell is not normally known for his willingness to go along with strike action for better wages — far from Ken Livingstone: is he seeking the 'general good at workers' expense? it. But to use the rightwing motives of Weighell as a reason to deny the tube workers their claim is equally cynical.

Also, the fact that the bus workers settled for 8% before the new GLC came in is not an argument either. The rank and file bus workers were not consulted about the settlement, and were pressurised into settling under the Tories so as not to embarrass the new Labour administration. matter how socialist, can The Labour GLC is do nothing sitting • in supposed to represent the County Hall unless it has interests of workers, and the backing of the workthe fact that Sid Weigh- ing class. But workers ell is a right-winger has won't back the GLC if the got nothing to do with it. GLC doesn't back the The Left should attack workers.

Weighell for his failure to support militant action and all the rest done a elsewhere, not the tube political about-turn? Have workers for their deter- they swung to the right? mination to protect their living standards. ent from what they were If the GLC won't take a when they were elected. stand on this and risk The Manifesto contains losing more grants, then many good policies, many what will it take a stand pro-working class meason? The argument that ures, and a statement of this is not the time to go all out against the Tories, that the mass campaign hasn't been built yet, is the same as that used by Ted Knight in Lambeth.

If the time isn't right IN A message to us from now, with Lothian set for their National Committee, confrontation, then it the Jewish Socialist Group never will befifthe GLC "unreservedly condemns doesn't stick byrank and the attempt by the Workers file trade unionists - Revolutionary Party, the tube workers - then through cynical manipulation of the capitalist legal we can never hope to build a mass campaign system, to use its money to silence criticism of its to take on the Tories. activities in the labour And this is recognised in the GLC Manifesto: movement. 'Understanding that the ialist Organiser's offer to Tory Government does open its columns to the not listen to pleas, but WRP in exchange for simresponds only to press- ilar facilities for socialists ure, a Labour GLC and attacked in the pages of ILEA will appeal to the Newsline a properly social. Labour and trade union ist method of resolving the movement to take action, issue. including industrial action to support its we shall use our modest stand' • The GLC, no resources wherever possBible to draw attention to your appeal and the issues involved". support and donations are still coming in for our fight against the libel case brought against us by Vanessa Redgrave of the WRP. The • legal take on the Tories. But the fact that it could all disappear like this when the tube workers' claim came up reveals a lack of a clear set of principles behind it.

The issue is the same in essence as that involved in the decision of Lambeth, Camder increases for rate which cut living standards as a supposed way round a controntation: the same choice is involved of administering an area as benevolently as possible within the limits and terms set by the Tory government. Choosing to be administrators, the Left are on the road to Have Ken Livingstone ceasing to be militants.

It reveals the need for a real organised Left in the London Labour Party No. They are no differ- to remind Ken Livingstone and all the rest of their manifesto commitments — and the fundamental commitment, to stick with the working class. all the additional help we can get, to force the WRP to back down and accept our demand for a labour movement inquiry, not resort to the bourgeois courts.

Appeal

•The JSG considers SocLABOUR MOVEMENT PRESS DEFENCE FUND Send donations to Jonathan Hammond (Hon.

Treasurer), c/o 214 Sickert Court, London "Please be assured that N1 2SY. Cheques pay.

able to 'Labour Movement Press Defence Fund'.

Name:

Other messages of Address:

Organisation:

Donation:.....