Organise for a general strike! Organıser

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A general strike poses implicitly - and, as THE TORIES and the bosses have bunched their develops, more and more explicitly - the questio fists for a new assault. Thatcher demonstratively followed up her hard-line Cabinet reshuffle with the If the Tories retain power after a general strik announcement of a 4% pay limit for public service they will quickly counter-attack. So indeed would Labour government led by the present Foo make some private sector workers expect too much! The CBI's comment was that the 4% figure might Healey-Shore team. But that is the round after th one. The task now is to mobilise the full forc Whatever their differences on interest rates of the labour movement to win this round - 1 or on the balance of public spending, the Tories and defeat the 4% limit and the Tory government. the bosses are united in a drive to bring down real Socialists must start organising for a gener wages (and sometimes even money wages) in order • According to latest Bank of England figures, the real rate of return on capital is now running at 2% -as against 3% last year, 4% in 1979, and around 10% 2. Where possible, and as soon as possible, joi meetings of workers coming up for confrontati This low rate of profit - lower even than the with the 4% limit should be organised. Local trac dwindling profit rates in other major capitalist activity, and organise local action committees councils and Labour Parties can give a lead in t countries - is not due to suddenly high labour costs.

It is due to lack of demand (because of high unemployment), lack of modern investment, and the 3. We must press the demand for the leaders constant decline of living labour (by which alone the labour movement - TUC, Labour MPs, Labr profits are created) in relation to total capital. councils - to break collaboration with the Tor and prepare a fightback. The TUC should organis But the capitalists' answer is to beat down wages. With inflation currently at 11.5% per year, the 4% figure means a cut in real wages of at least 4. A general strike will be won through 1 72% in one year. And if they achieve that, there'll network of workers' committees and organisatic developed in struggle - shop stewards' committe combine committees, trades councils, Labr Parties. We must fight to gear these bodies to 1 all for the miners acting on behalf of other unions. NUM vice-president Mick McGahey said: "I am The miners have the power to do this. They fairly clearly by the bosses that they'll be lucky to claim, dated from November 1, and have been told Saltley 1972: solidarity beat the Tories then, and it can BL workers have just submitted their £20 wage deputations and flying pickets, and organise joint meetings, to spread the struggle. For every worker's wage settlement will depend on the victory or defeat of the first section to go into struggle - against the government, a government based on and accounta urgency of preparing for a head-on clash with 1 equip them with a fighting political perspect Tories, to strengthen the links between them, and against the Tories - the perspective of a worke showed it in February, when the mere beginnings of strike action in the coalfields forced the government from November 23. Their employers, too, have made Ford workers have a similar claim to BL, dated In this way, the struggle against the 4% limit can to the workers' movement, taking decisive measu And they could do the same on pay - bend the rules for the miners and then throw their full weight with cuts and closures double-speed in other sectors. too, and not let the Tories and the bosses take us on sections of workers in a single counter-offensive But the Tories and the bosses have pressed ahead The labour movement needs to bunch its fists, There is a real chance now of uniting important Vauxhall workers have already voted to strike on settlement from November 1. The Coal Board will be responding within cash limits laid down by the Tories. And over one million local government manual workers - the first big group to be directly covered by the 4% norm - come up for their yearly wage review in November. So do 30,000 firemen. The waterworkers follow in December: they'll be submitting their claim on Wednesday 23 be - bring forward the struggle, and strike alongside The miners' claim for £100 minimum is due for For all these groups of workers, the policy must forward to demand automatic monthly inflation pro- price index. It can clear out the Employment Act tection for all wages, according to a working class and stop any new anti-trade union laws. And it can government would open up tremendous possibilities from office. And the level of mobilisation needed by the working class to defeat this entrenched Tories to govern, and drive this Tory government do more. It can make it impossible for the vandal beyond the limited objectives of defeating Tory policies or even of bringing down the Tory A general strike can break the 4% limit and go each group of workers, faced with an immedi general strike is no answer. In the wages fight, : - and then for a drive to draw other workers i the front-line give a lead. It can never develop stronger. That's why waiting for the next gene struggle, ducks the fight and waits for a gene strike. Every time we duck a fight, the Tories election is no answer - and also why waiting fo in the fight for jobs, socialists must argue for m: mum mobilisation by the workers in the front! 5. A general strike can only develop if those their pay claim, due for settlement this month, the first group to come out. Once on strike, send out workers.

to restore profits.

in the 1960s. be more to come.

Mirers' leaders have 4% norm.

We will smash through this policy."

to back down on pit closures.

against other sections of workers.

section by section.

against the Tories.

against a "4%-with-strings" offer. said that they will smash the September. be offered four per cent.

it clear that the offer will be peanuts. beat them now government. 4%, we will stand united or fall divided. be developed into a general strike. of which class is master in the country. strike.

1. We must spread the of workers' unity.

coordinate the struggle.

against capitalist power and privilege. idea and explain the pow