A slice by-slice strategy

Scan page 3

more split and shaky than in 1972, they want a Unions had put back their pay talks until BL was more selective approach, one that enables them to settled (and now they're trying to put the issue off *The definition of a 'trade dispute' will be The Financial Times commented: "On trades again until after the Ford pay review is over and Workers taking industrial action which is not a "trade narrowed down to exclude inter-union disputes and solidarity action with workers in other countries. the CBI conference early last week, opinions were union reform, we would urge restraint..."; and at confident they can make stick, and then send in masses of police to enforce them-as at Brixton dole, They introduce only such laws as they are fairly down with a few threats like Edwardes' , the bosses TUC for new talks. Having slapped the TUC leaders Thé CBI conference decided to approach the dispute' can be sued for 'breach of contract' , and CBI Midlands chairperson Chris Walker said, "l Adwest, Staffa and Laurence Scotts. Then they hope already the definition of a 'trade dispute' has been narrowed down a great deal by James Prior's hope the new Employment Secretary does not put as much emphasis on the closed shop as the Con- to build on each victory and impose further curbs . . and achieve the same aim as the Industrial Relations are convinced they can do business with them. cooperation of the union leaders, is as deadly a The slice-by-slice strategy, proceeding with the Employment Act and by court rulings over the last servative Associations of Cheltenham Spa or Ascot All the disputes the Tories have chosen as test danger to workers as the headlong attack of the "breach of contract' not only against individual shop *Employers will be able to bring claims for relations law drew a substantial number of speakers And the FT reports: "The debate on industrial cases for their union laws have been small ones. There were no police squads outside Cowley on erous tie-up between the labour movement's leaders The fightback must start by breaking the treachstewards or union officials, but against collective who urged caution on the further use of legislation Monday 2nd counting heads to see if there were more than six on a gate! The Tory strategy of pick- and the Tories. Tony Benn's call for the labour movement to 'disengage' from the institutions of the bosses have gone soft. It means that they are still This approach does not mean that the Tories and depends on the workers' resistance remaining piece- ing fights selectively, and gaining ground step by step Thatcherism must become a practical reality. Trade unions should force their leaders to withwary of the strength of the working class. And on this point too Tebbit and the CBI had draw from talks with the Tories and CBI, from the shop will be able to claim bigger damages; and closed shops will have to be confirmed by a vote of the *Workers sacked for refusing to join a closed thousands of militant pickets massed at the gates of BL factories, the CBI knew that a false step by the Discussing trade union law on the same day as biggest asset in splitting up the workers' struggle is recent experience to guide them last week. Their NEDC, from other official committees and from needs to commit its MPs to obstruct the Tories in boards of nationalised industries. The Labour Party Tories could lead them into a holocaust of working parliament and its local councils to refuse to draw up *Firms and public bodies will be banned class fury. One week-day of strike action by workers insisting that contractors doing work for them in one big company, and the press was already wondering how long the government could survive if And leaders who refuse to part ways with the "consultative paper' soon, and a Bill will be put to The package will be officially presented in a -once the unions had refused to register under it- The blunderbuss Industrial Relations Act of 1972 pickets on Monday 2nd, Duffy, Kitson and their other leaders were scrambling to fix a sell-out and While BL workers were organising for the mass labour movement, to surround any test cases the Tories pick on with a wall of solidarity, to defeat That is the way to rally a common front of the Tebbit and the Tories are continuing Prior's step- made almost all industrial action unlawful. The their laws, to drive them from office, and to replace by-step strategy of shackling the unions, rather than Tories headed into one confrontation after another, pay talks so as to avoid simultaneous strike action Joe Gormley had already postponed the miners' them with a workers' government-a government going for the sort of all-at-once assault rumoured in based on and accountable to the labour movement. the press when Tebbit was appointed. In this they Now. with the Tories' and the bosses' own ranks The Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering THE TORIES' new anti-union measures ing to press reports-be the following: five years.

union funds.

*Employers will be able to sack ly-i.e. victimise militants-without as "unfair dismissal' workforce every three years.

employ only union labour.

Parliament in the New Year.

are in bosses.

similar.

do."

in this area." strikers selectivethis being classed from must ohn mainstream the dispute continued!

and were humbled.

Act, by different methods. real and isolated. avoid a showdown.

LAST FRIDAY night, young woman spoke on 8 programme on BBC 2 explaining her views about the Tories, the bomb and other issues. She said that anyone who wanted to discuss with her, or agreed with her should meet her in Victoria on Saturday night and they could go for a drink.

She said she expected 2 or 3 people to turn up.

In fact over 200 youth from as far away as Manchester turned up at a pub in Victoria. That was followed by a vanload of police turning up and harassing us. We went to a square where we discussed what we could do and decided to set up a meeting the next Wednesday.

• Positive That's a good enough answer to anyone who says that youth don't want to fight.It comes at a very good time for the National Left Wing Youth Movement.

Last June, 160 youth met in Coventry to discuss what they could do about the Tory attacks on youth.

We decided to set up a new youth movement. NLWYM, as part of the Labour Party Young Serialists.

We dun't agree choose their battles and win them. the trade union and Labour leadership. leaders of the YS, the 'Militant' who prefer preaching their programme to positive action. We want to become the leadership of the YS, that means fighting to build a movement that is capable of turning the YS from a stale propaganda group to a mass fighting YS.

Apprentice

At the conference there are discussions on young women, youth at work, youth unemployment, YOPs, Gays, Ireland, CND and Youth Culture.

As well as that we're having a special feature on the recent sell-out at British Leyland; where 300 Cowley Assembly Plant apprentices were given company cars and told to go out and post 5000 copies of advertisements that appeared in national papers from general secretaries begging the members to go back. There will be BL workers speaking of their experience at the conference.

Threat

Also there will I se films throughout the w eekend, and also a gig on the Saturday night.

If you want done with!

Industrial Relations Act. cuts budgets.

Tories must be replaced.

COMICK stand on this Tory government and the rotten system that it represents, come to our conference and join with us in building a movement that can create a real threat to them:

The conference is on November 21st and 22nd at Caxton House, St. John's Way, London N19. Food and accomodation are available. For more information ring 01-609 3071 or write to NLWYM BM Box 5277, London WC1 3XX.

Transport is being arranged from all areas.

Mick Liggins Nawym Caxton Hon St. John's W Archway,

----- pull-quotes -----

Offering a way forward NEWSPAPER OF THE NATIONAL LEFT-WING YOUTH MOVEMENT CONFERENCE 21st - 22nd NOVEMBER London N1!

CLASSE FIGHTERE uth