Challenge to APEX

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‹voicestr ceneral ana IOI in the debate on Labour ASLEF stands firm on roster British Rail bosses have thrown down the gauntlet to Weighell (left) and Buckton NUPE - vote for occupations to nalt cuts "Ga..

THE TASS conference has called for "strike action where necessary" against the Tebbit Bill - unfortunately without saying when this action will be necessary.

TASS General Secretary Ken Gill also called for the TUC to withdraw from tripartite committees with the government and the bosses, like the NEDC.

The GMWU conference accepted an executive recommendation and opposed withdrawal from the NEDC. But it did call for increased powers for the TUC to instruct individual unions to take strike action.

The FBU Conference called for a 24-hour TUC general strike against the A FORCEFUL lobby of Wandsworth council workers turned out to press for their emergency resolution, which called for:

*All possible support to the action in Wandsworth against the privatisation plans.

*Urge branches to take action in support of the Wandsworth dispute.

*Instructing the EC to make official all forms of supporting action; to contribute £1,000 to strike funds; to produce a national leaflet on the dispute; organise for Wandsworth speakers initi:

lery Tebbit Bill - but did not say when. It called for a ceasefire in the South Atlantic and negotiations, and union president Bill Deal spoke at last Sunday's anti-war demonstration.

The FBU will answer emergency calls only from May 31 unless there is progress in its dispute over representation in the national negotiating council for the FBU as against the non-TUC "National Association of Fire Officers"

Meanwhile the ASLEF conference unanimously rejected flexible rostering. British Rail bosses have said they will offer no pay rise to any union unless ASLEF accepts flexible rostering and John Bloxam reports from the NUPE conference sympathy strike action and blacking, to prevent hospital closures.

It was stressed that this should be organised on day one of the occupation - and not left until the hospital was raided.

Also on Monday, delegate from GEC Coventry B109 (weekly) Branch.

THE right wing domination of the clerical union APEX continued at this year's conference but it did not go unchallenged Many delegates were angered by the April 1982 APEX Journal editorial in which General Secretary the NUR accepts BR's planned workshop closures. (This year's pay settlement falls due at the end of May).

This sets the scene for a major industrial showdown on the railways. NUR General Secretary Sid Weighell, i under pressure from his own Executive, has called for industrial action from June 7 on pay and the closures.

NUR members should be demanding that the 'industrial action' is an all-out strike. And ASLEF members should be calling for their union leaders, too, to go for strike action from June 7 -demanding a pay rise without any acceptance of flexible rostering. conference carried a long composite on pay policy for 1982-83, rejecting any form of pay policy whether imposed by Tory of Labour governments, and instructing the national negotiators to submit wage claims to include a basic minimim rate Grantham had argued quite clearly for a coalition with the SDP.

Strong words against such a betrayal came from the floor of the conference, backed up by an overwhel ming defeat of a resolution in effect proposing political de-affiliation from the APEX committed itself, H VUPTITTITO LAUMBALLO Gill - strike 'where necessary ' of two-thirds the national average male earnings for the lowest paid NUPE members, with the same flat rate rise for all members, a 35 hour week, and a minimum of six weeks holiday.

A strong anti-racist resolution was carried on a card Anancitinn UPPUNILUI EU Tebbit tha Bill. This includes calling on the TUC and Labour Party to organise a day of action on the day the Bill becomes law (included in an amendment from the Preston branch):

Further amendments, howeyer, calling for the TUC to break all relations with the Tory government vote insisting that no nazis be allowed in the union.

The major setback in the conference was the defeat of a composite motion on Ireland, but the EC is now committed to organising a discussion • on the issue during the next year.

refusal to to comply with the new laws (Holborn, Thorne House and Leeds) were defeated on the advice of the Executive Council.

The Executive recommendations were overturned however, on three occasions in the course of the conference. Particularly in relation to sanctions against South Africa and the role of APEX Grantham - for coalition with SDP Fisher Party democracy..

The 1981 APEX Conference had agreed to support the Labour Manifesto being drawn up by the NEC and the PLP "with final approval to be made by the NEC"

At Party conference the APEX delegation had voted against this mandate! A resolution attacking the delegation's action was passed at APEX conference despite Roy Grantham's opposition, by a 53,000 to 45,000 vote.

The right did, however, strengthen its position some respects. In doing so it continued to pave the way for a merger or possible federation with the EETPU.

Whilst the resolution calling for postal ballots for branch officers (not opposed by the Executive) defeated by a large majority, interim supplementary report on union structure was passed, giving the greer ight to branch meetings once every three months. This is seen by militants within APEX as another erosion of democracy within the branches • towards the situation in the EETPU.

Merger has been long on the cards. With membership now only 110,000 • it 1s becoming an even more central question. The lack of a full debate this year, despite the Executive's protestations, that a special conferwould be called if merger was proposed, did nothing to allay members' suspicions as to whom the Executive have their eye on - the EETPU, the GMWU or possibly both.

Unfortunately the expected debate on Ireland fell foul of the time factor. A resolution with progressive amendments from Euston Trade Union and Political Staffs and Coventry GEC (weekly) were down for discussion quite high on the agenda. However, it was not taken with the appropriate paragraphs of the EC report (despite at least one branch Bristol No. 1, asking for a debate. to be held) and no discussion therefore took place.

Discussions did take place on women's rights and APEX is now committed to support the Women's Right to Work Festival and March. Whilst criticism was levelled at the page in the Journal now specifically on women's issues, the discussion is continuing.