Tebbit's Act SHOINN ON THE RACK!

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INSIDE What's wrong with the TUC's plans fighting Tebbit ... page Why the bosses are going for import curbs, and why they are no answer for socialists...

Organıser back page and page 5 Labour right wing continues witch-hunt; and, should socialists register? pages 3, 10, 11 Alan Law: the story of a 'business unionist centre pages Students and college unions unite against cuts, NUS conference... page 3 CND conference, Greenham Common...page 6 How can Labour councils lead a fight against Heseltine? page 2 Paper of Socialist Organiser Alliance the Socialist Organiser Alliance No.111 December 2 1982 (Claimants and strikers 10p) 25p those on supplementary TEBBIT'S anti-union law is now in force. From December 1, solidarity strikes, benefit. blacking, "secondary" picketing and action defined by judges as "political", all The attack on the worklay trade unionists open to court action and union funds liable to seizure. From ing class is not just an assault on the advances it 1984 clauses to destroy the closed shop will come into force. has made in real living But Tebbit is not resting on his laurels. He is already boasting that his forth- standards. The assault coming Green Paper will be a "new weapon"; the "most devastating thing ever to is also on the ideology of hit the union militants" collectivism, on collective Among proposals likely to be contained in the Green Paper are. social provision, on trade *A fund to help employers stage strike ballots over the heads of the interests of working people, unions as defenders of the *Compulsory ballots for the election of union officers. and the articulation of de*"Contracting in" instead of "contracting out" of the political levy. mands on their behalf.

In other words, Tebbit plans a full scale assault on the organisation and political independence of the trade union movement. The internal affairs of the unions will Control be wide open to interference and manipulation from its sworn enemies - the Tories, the courts and the press. The Tory conception of a Deadpan but gleeful, Tebbit justifies his plans by pretending to act on behalf of useful role for trade unions "decent union members" against the "unrepresentative militants" who he claims in the crisis of British capiItalism is a role where union have "taken over" the unions. 'bosses' control the rank More cynical hypocrisy cannot be imagined. When did Tebbit and the class he and file members of the represents ever believe in any kind of democracy beyond the right o put a cross on union - but failing the a ballot paper every five years? When can we expect them to open up the board- efficacy of that, ensuring that ideology among the rooms of big business, the inner sanctums of the civil service, the police, judiciary working class is so changed and army to public scrutiny and democratic elections? And as for the trade unions being controlled by "unrepresentative militants" that union members will vote down proposals to every working person with eyes to see knows what nonsense this is. Indeed, the defend their own interests Tories' success in pushing through their anti-union legislation has been largely due if the Sun newspaper tells them it is a good idea. to the cowardice and treachery of the TUC. Even their passive, ineffectual "camTebbitry must be defeatpaign" against the Tebbit Bill appears now to have ground to a halt. ed - but not just by proAnd their sabotage of the ASLEF strike and unceremonious cancellation of the posals to change the law transport workers' day of action in support of the health workers, have smoothed relating to trade unions and the Tories' path and demoralised working class opposition. collective bargaining.

But Tebbit can be stopped. Militant mass action - verging oh general strike We need the implementproportions at its height - smashed the Tory Industrial Relations Act in the early ation of the alternative eco1970s. Massive solidarity during the NHS strike pushed back the High Court threat nomic and political strategy to Fleet Street electrician's leader Sean Geraghty. in order to change the balThat's the kind of action we need now to smash ance of class forces in our organise it, then the rank and file must. society.