CPSA: after the landslide Conference atter name of successful first Broad Left group; the all-out basis, with

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Losinska read out name Association organised their paign in 1983 will be on an A censure on the right Left, trying to u wing NEC for refusing to Militant feeling candidates Society of Civil and Public DHSS local offices totally affiliate to CND was some members of With only 7 votes against CP and Tribunit the right wing by about agreement on New Tech- gaining in the Civil Service the CPSA is committed hope to create a 2,000 votes to become the nology; and even the first is currently under scrutiny to campaign against more compliant 'l first Broad Left President Division Association (the Megaw Inquiry Trident; and with only 2 in the union of CPSA. union that organises the top Conference agreed to reject votes against to a campaign So the fight is ni He is also a Militant Civil Service bureaucrats) the evidence submitted by to defend Ministry of Def- defend the demo supporter. came out against the Tebbit CPSA to this body on the ence jobs by fighting for CPSA (new tant supporters and three conservative and protes- vice, and that any conclu- was however passed on the the openness and a The following week the ical grades in the Civil Ser- A weak pro-TUC motion time officials); to sionally inclined Institute sion arising from Megaw Tebbit Bill. munist Party. The remain- of Professional Civil Ser- must be voted on at a full vants agreed not only to a delegate conference. CPSA formally now has pendently towards other Labour Party mem- programme of action Gallery united behind their own union on a war footing for trappings of a militant, and file movement.

candidate; they were next year's pay battle. demoralised by the Tory In CPSA, the victory on has won out APEX conLosinska read out name after name of successful Broad Left candidates for the CPSA NEC. for the CPSA NEC.

Kevin Roddy beat the right wing by about 2,000 votes to become the first Broad Left President of CPSA.

He is also a Militant supporter.

The Broad Left majority The Broad Left majority Bill/ of 24 to 4 includes 8 Mili- of 24 to 4 includes 8 Militant supporters and three members of the members of the Communist Party. The remainder are Tribunites and Tribunites other Labour Party members more to the left. bers more to the left.

The right wing were not The right wing were not united behind their own candidate; they were demoralised by the Tory attacks on the union; and the drop of 19,000 in the number of members voting, compared with elections held earlier this year, also indicates that their supporters were also somewhat demoralised.

Meanwhile the Broad Left electoral machine is powerful enough to unite the various Left factions, and in a period of strong anti-Toryism has captured the enthusiasm of the activists in the branches.

In the membership there is a growing bitter hatred of the Tories — a desire for a showdown with the Government, and for a leadership prepared to have that showdown. Association organised their first Broad Left group; the Society of Civil and Public Servants joined with CPSA Servants joined with CPSA in rejecting the new interim in rejecting the new interim agreement on New Technology; and even the First Division Association (the union that organises the top Civil Service bureaucrats) came out against the Tebbit Bill/ The following week the conservative and professionally inclined Institute of Professional Civil Servants agreed not only to a programme of action against cuts, but also to an against cuts, but also to an increase in subs to put the increase in subs to put the union on a war footing for next year's pay battle.

In CPSA, the victory on New Technology in the NAW Terhnolnow in the Civil Service part of the conference was the main advance on policy. Conference quickly kicked out the interim agreement, and instructed the incoming NEC to re-open negotiations on a shorter working week and no job loss. If this fails, the NEC must prepare for industrial action this year.

Award

On pay, though the Conference was resigned to the imposition of this year's arbitration award, it immediately gave instructions to prepare for a full scale offensive in 1983.

A special pay conference paign in 1983 will be on an all-out basis, with DE/ DHSS local offices totally involved.

The future of The future of pay bargaining in the Civil Service is currently under scrutiny by the Megaw Inquiry. Conference agreed to reject the evidence submitted by CPSA to this body on the restructuring of the restructuring of the clerical grades in the Civil Service, and that any conclusion arising from Megaw must be voted on at a full delegate conference.

The major set-back The major set-back was on the cuts. on the cuts.

A Militant-sponsored Militant-sponsored motion carried by Confer- rantint ence was accurately described by the right wing General Secretary as 'the current executive policy dressed up in more bellicose language."

The motion sets out arbitrary and (primarily) financial limits on any anti-cuts campaign; it confines initiatives to the Secretary and it seems to see producing more and more leaflets as the magic answer for mobilising the members.

This weakness was compounded when a motion to negotiate for an "enhanced redundancy agreement" was carried.

But in the second part of the Conference there were A censure on the right wing NEC for refusing to affiliate to CND was passed overwhelmingly. passed overwhelmingly.

With only 7 votes against the CPSA is committed to a campaign against Trident; and with only 2 votes against to a campaign to defend Ministry of Defence jobs by fighting for alternative work. alternative work.

A weak pro-TUC motion was however passed on the Tebbit Bill.

CPSA formally now has all the apparatus and all the apparatus and trappings of a militant, Left, trying to use antiMilitant feeling to dupe some members of the new EC. With the aid of the EC. With the aic CP and Tribunites they hope to create a newer, more compliant 'left' bloc in the union.

So the fight is now on to defend the democracy of CPSA (new electoral system, election system, election of full time officials); to defend the openness and accountability of the Bro. bility of the Broad Left: and to strike or and to strike out independently towards building of the roots of a r of the roots of a real rank and file movement.