Biggest Strike Since 1926 Centre Pages Resist the Register!

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ban socialist groups not approved by the party leaders, PETER TATCHELL writes:

DESPITE the decision yest- democracy into the trade erday, we've got to keep up union movement, to win the night for party demo- paralel relurms w voc cracy and accountability, achieved in the party. We and to reverse this short- mustn't be fooled by those term defeat into a longer- who say we must exclusterm victory. The decision ively concentrate on camshows the importance of paigning. That's importWant, but we must not block carrying the struggle for out the need to fight against those who want to roll back the democratic I hope that all CLPs will refuse to implement the witch-hunt. People's right to hold and argue for different nolitical neranectives in indivisible, and in a democratic party cannot be removed even by conference vote. Clearly the Right and the media feel so threatened that they have to resort to the public slanders that have appeared in the Sun and News of the World, in the hope of discrediting individual members and The TGWU block vote is cast for the register ... against the decision of its lay executive. GWU and USDAW Comment and reports on Labour convotes also went for the register, despite those unions having conference policy against any witch-hunts or purge in the Labour Party. The votes that decided Labour's new witch-hunt were cast by small groups of officials ference - pages 2-3 and union leaders without references to the millions of workers they are supposed to represent. CONCE IS A GAUGE of the tremendous head of pressure that has built up within the labour movement for action to win the NHS pay claim is the fact that the TUC has announced plans for a 24 hour stoppage of transport unions to take place in November.

The action would be the most dramatic secondary action' ever staged, and amounts to a major chall enge to the Prior and Tebbit anti-union laws.

Ironically while TUC lent their block votes to speed the process of witch.1A1 tn thnoo hunting advocates of 'extra parliamentary action' from the Labour Party, they felt obliged to take time out at Brighton to announce the biggest extra-parliamentary action so far.

Bluff

No doubt there is a massive element of bluff in the TUC decision: the date, not fixed, is suitably distant to allow time for what they hope will be some form of improved offer to let them reforms. off the hook.

But on the other hand repeated hopes for such a reprieve from the Tories have failed to materialise and the TUC must realise that there is a strong chance of them being called on to nut their words into action Bear down Present at the meeting which took the decision was a strange coalition of right and left wing union leaders plus Len Murray, presided over by Frank Chapple: nothing could more clearly indicate the way the militancy in the rank and file is bearing down upon union leaders.

Now is the time to redouble demands that these gestures be coupled to a full-scale escalation of action in the NHS itself, and demands for a concerted call for genthe party in general. eral strike action.

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"Söcialist Organiser, Thursday 30 September 1982 Páge 2 Would you buy a used policy from these men?

Skinner IT IS quite clear now that the trade union right wing has scored a spectacular win with their block votes. Local Labour Parties generally mandate their delegates in a proper democratic fashion, but in the trade unions the votes for the women's section, for their own section, and for the Treasurership are cast seemingly without a mandate by general secretaries.

A simple look at this year's NEC will show that Dennis Healey commands 16 votes out of 29. It can fairly be described as Dennis Healey's executive.

No longer will John Golding scurry around looking for votes from the soft left. They will be able to have a clear majority on all the committees of the NEC.

There's got to be a more effective Left. I'm fed up

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r Alliance No.102 SEPTEMBER 30, 1982 (Claimants and strikers 10p) 25p TUC to ca transport After Labour conference voted to impose the register and

w WE A -sTrike