Called by How to fight the Tories silent during

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kind of fight. *The SHOP STEWARDS MOVE- . Party leaders to organise and mobilise Jeremy Corbyn MP; Reg Race, Jay Hurcombe (Labour CND)*; Val Dunn (Manchester Labour councillor)*; Andrea Campbell (COHSE Group 81)*; Colin Talbot (POEU Broad Left)* * In a personal capacity Workshop discussions, coupled with the showing of videos, will cover a wide range of topics and current struggles, and enable everyone present to contribute in debate on policies for THE TUC is all set to junk its "economic strategy" after the disastrous showing at the Electjon.

Quite right too, you may say; it wasn't so much a policy as a ragbag lacking credibility or radicalism.

There's no cause for jubilation however; the architect of this review, Tony Christopher of the Inland Revenue Staff Federation (Callaghan's union) . wants the TUC to take a hard look at such basic tenets as full employment in the prevailing economic circumstances.

It sounds ominous. David Basnett of the GMBU leapt on the idea enthusiastically. With "rethinkers" like this around, no great advances are likely.

And as it to confirm that radical is one thing the new TUC review will not be, the same meeting of its Economic Committee decided not to withdraw from tri-partite talks with the Tories and the CBI. Moss Evans, Bill Keys and-Ken Gill (whose unions have previously pushed for pulling out) did not oppose this decision.

WHOOPS! My karma's just run over my dogma! The Tories are very keen to point out that the rate of inflation is falling. stops us putting in for those extortionate wage increases. So they should be very pleased at last month's drop. Unfortunately, most of this is due (according to an independent economist) to the GLC's fare cuts!

WHEN trade unionists don't like a particular bit of legislation, we're cautioned that we have to put up with it, since it's the law of the land. So the case of the Fair Wages Resolution should be instructive. The story so fam Wandsworth council gave the borough's dustbin contract to Grandmet Waste Services. Grandmet are very "competitive"

longer hours.

The dustmen took Grandmet to the Central Arbitration Committee under the Fair Wages Resolution, which states that public service contractors should pay their workers at least the equivalent of local authority minimums.

The CAC ruled in favour of the dustmen and ordered Grandmet to raise their pay by £6-£8 per week, and cut the working week by an hour.

What is the, response of the upholders of the 'law of the land?' Norman Tebbit is planning to rescind the Fair Wages Resolution. And Wandsworth Council is retrospectively removing the Fair Wages clause from its contracts with private firms.

KREMLIN stooges? Disarmament protestors in this country are well-used to allegations that they are merely 'Moscow pupppets "in this country you have the right to protest - you wouldn't get that in Russia" says Michael Heseltine.

In a heartening. display of international solidarity, an independent Russian peace group has sent a letter to Margaret Thatcher protesting at the attacks on the democratic rights of British peace protestors.

The Group for Establishing Trust Between the US and the oviet Union chas itself suffered harassment and imprisonment for its peace activities. Its letter, condemning the arrest and jailing of Upper Heyford demonstrators was only got to the.British Embassy after several attempts by the KGB to block it. Last Mayor's Parade.

Certainly best = a CaTTE and be 200.000 peopie = is week's hundredch Gala took advantage of the extended pub opening hours.

But the latest Gala, like the ninety-nine before it, makes no attempt to disguise its politics.

Arthur Scargill reminded the rally that three years ago he had predicted pit closures, and has been- accused of misleading people. 'Who told the truth in 1980?'' he asked. • "Today, as I speak, we have the bitter facts. Twelve NorthEast pits have been condemned, and I say two-thirds more will be closed. Are you going to accept it on your knees? Or are you HOW going to stand and fight against the end of your industry?"

The Gala was almost returned to its 1930s glory when Durham alone had over 200 pits and • It was called 'the greatest political gathering in the world" by Sam Watson, Durham NUM Secretary for 27 years, who was commemorated for the first time on the new banner of Sacristan tion of vital services. tion of vital services. Lodge. * Already even as 1872 pass i feMeting in passec children's working hours in the mines and urged all miners to join the union to give them solidarity in fighting the capital- kind of fight. ist bosses.

The Galas grew in size but the level of political discussion remained high, including resolutions on Ireland in the 1890s, state education and housing, as well as miners' pay and conditions.

Little seems to have changed. such struggles in the past. The fight of the working class against Thatcher reflects the struggles of the 1870s.

The Durham Miners' Gala is the great event of the year, but festivities are still overshadowed by the black drapes on some banners, symbolising deaths in the pit in the past year.

And the miners of East Hetton and Marley. Hill had little to celebrate - the pits have just been closed and the miners transferred to long-life coastal mines. the way forward.

September 17, 10.30am-5pm University of London Union

Malet Street, WC1

*So the Tories are back. The błand *So: the Tories are back. The błand phrases in their Manifesto are already phrases in their Manifesto are already turning into renewed attacks on jobs. on turning into renewed attacks on jobs. on union rights, new cuts and the privatisa- union rights, new cuts and the privatisa* Already even as Tebbit prepar new ANTI-UNION LAWS - the TUC new ANTIUNION LAWS - the TUC privatisation tar has been right wing have run up the white tlag. But Arthur Scargill and Ken Livingstone right wing have run up the white flag But Arthur Stargill and Ken Livingstone biher localised and isolated or largely focussed upon protest. We need have correctly pointed to the need for have correctly pointed to the need for plan of action Vol. before the whole ment on the streets and picket lines. Our mass, direct action by the labour move- mass, direct action by the labour move- ment on the streets and picket lines. Our public sector is carved up conference will focus on the problems. conference will focus on the problems. bankers. policies, and tactics for achieving this policies, and tactics for achieving this *The SHOP STEWARDS MOVE.

MENT has come under fire in 1hc MENT has come under fire in 1he engincering industry but has develop- engincering industry but has developleaders wrongly argued we wait for a * Against previous CUTS, many union * Against previous CUTS, many union ed'in the NHS in the course of last year's ed in the NHS in the course of last year's leaders wrongly argued we wait for a pay light. What policies and polities are pay fight. What policies and politics are returned Labour government while ...hitn needed to rebuild and extend the Labour councils blamed lack of union stewards' movement and defend its action for implementing Tory policies. A independence of full-time union officials new 5-year mandate for Thatcher makes and management propaganda! this a plainly useless policy: instead we need occupations; supporting strikes, the extension of struggles on a national *New, more radical BROAD LEFTS level - and we must learn lessons from have been emerging in many unions: but under fire from employers and the right wing. some - like the CPSA Broad Left - can crumble. How can we link Broad *PRIVATISATION in British Left activity at national level to day-toTelecom, the NHS and other services day struggles in the workplaces and threatens jobs, working conditions and develop a consistent, principled leaderunion organisation. But the action ship?

Platform and workshop speakers include:

WILL BE AVAILABLE ALL DAY CRECHE FACILITIES

¿lectorate? problems seriously?

help develop that struggle? Scheme"?

Name ..

Address .

Send to Socialist Organiser.

London N8. (Pleas 'September 17 Cor

* Many on the left of the LABOUR

the election despite the right wing sabotage. How, can we develop an organised. and politically confident lett in the Labbur Party capablo of standing ground under pressure? What kind of perspective should be put forward by the left lo go beyond the limited "Alternative • Fconomic Strategy" which plainly failed to convince a sceptical

*With five more years to work ()11 restoring "Victorian valucs* Thatcher's blows will again fall hardes: in WOMEN. Why won't the Labour Party and unions develop the special strengths and fighting capacity shown by women workers, and take their special

*BLACK WORKERS too ate beginning to organise against tacit and open racism from the bosses, the state.

the police and - most scandalous of ali.

from the labour movement. How can wa faced with another 5 years - seemingly a lifetime - on the dole. Millions of adults are on the same scrapheap. How can we act at rank and file level to remedy the crimmal failure of TUC and Labour the unemployed? How should the unions respond to the new threats posed bs Tebbit's so-called "Youth Training *OUR CONFERENCE "How to fight 'the Tories". will attempt a promote discussin and give some answers to these and other questions facing the labour movement.

-OR- •••• Open to delegates and observers from all labour movement bodies.

Credentials (including discussion papers) €2.50 (employed), £1.50 (unemployed).

Picase send me details/credentials for the September 17 conference. I enclose €

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Leadership heir apparent Kinnock: will he too try to pull up Labour's grass roots purge the left?

Last month's annual conference of the Post Office Engin- Fight Manchester eering Union saw the defeat of the right wing majority of the National Executive and its replacement by supporters of the This result was caused largely by the Union's failure to organise an effective campaign of resistance to Tory plans to privatise British Telecom. At the conference, the successful proposition of no confidence in the NEC's Industrial Action Strategy Committee was moved by COLIN TALBOT, secretary of the 2,000-strong London Westminster Branch and a member of the Broad Left Steering Committee and Streatham Organiser no. 141, July 21/28 rank and file Broad Left.

What is the up-to-date position..

with the industrial action against Mercury?

It's still on a very small scale, limited to guerrilla warfare in the London North Central Internal area. Eight more members of that branch have now been called out on strike this week.

What response has there been amongst the membership to the action so far and to paying the weekly levy?

Extremely good. In our branch, apart from odd individuals, people are enthusiastic and the only difficulties have been a few organisational problems. In less well organised branches and rural areas there are some problems but even there they are getting it in effectively. What have been the immediate effects within the union of the Broad Left's conference victory?

Well, as far as the rank and file goes it is only just percolating down and the conference report has only just appeared in the union journal, but reaction has been extremely good.

A large section of the members did not see it as left versus right but that the union had not been doing anything for a year on the major issues affecting us and now see something will be done.

It will get more complicated Colin Talbot: he will be speaking at the SO conference on Sept 17. also the new aggressive style of management. Besides that the Broad Left has been a broad and opễn coalition of left forces which has concentrated on policy issues and union democracy and not just being an election machine.

I don't think the Broad Left's role in the branches has changed at all. The tactics of campaigning at rank and file level and bringing pressure to bear on the NEC to make the right decisions should carry on as before. That will only strengthen the hand of the left on the NEC and pull them up if they start making mistakes.

Many other public sector unions are threatened by privatisation.

because Mercury BR lines for its Cable network:

After four years in government and now a Tory election victory, many workers may be affected by the myth of Thatcher's invincibility. How do you see this being combatted?

By beating them! Obviously, with the so-called landslide there's a feeling of frustration and in some cases despair. Quite a lot of our members think we can't defeat the government over privatisation, but even they've been saying if we can't beat them we will at least go down fighting.

I think after the failure of the Labour Party in the election there does seem to be a tendency for people to turn to their unions as the only effective way of stopping Thatcher.

What about Labour Party workplace branches?

We're in the process of setting one up in this area. A lot of activists in my branch have joined the Labour Party in the past two or three years including a spurt of new members around the election.

Together with Labour Party members working in the clerical and telephone operators side we've seen the need to develop Labour Party organisation amongst the workforce. For the first time during the election we leafletted most of our main buildings with Labour Party leaflets.

What role do you see for the union in the internal battle in the else we haveet least e norid of Well, Golding from the NEC! But seriously, I think the POEU moving to the left, together with the NUR, has seriously disrupted the system of alliances between the Parliamentary Labour Party right-wing and the trade union leaderships.

The 26 of US who were expelled from the Labour Group on Manchester City Council have all been sent a letter by the Secretary of the rump official group outlining their decision on whether to readmit us or not.

They have decided that 'those who had acted against the group's decisions over several years should not be considered for readmission until next January... Those who had bren elected to the Council last year should be reviewed in September •.. In neither case should it be assumed that they would be readmitted to the group then...

"If any of them were to approach the officers asking for re-entry, they should be interviewed, and if satisfactory assurances, written and verbal were given, they could be considered but not before July... Any readmission would be on the condition that if their assurances were broken they would be immediately excluded from the group."

Plainly the right are trying to divide and split us up. , The rump official council group is itself far from united. The centre are known to be unhappy at the bizarre decisions taken recently to support Tories and SDPers rather than any of US in elections for council positions.

And some of the younger right wingers are looking over their shoulders to the possibility that h-hunt By councillor Keenlyside there will be a left majority in the Group next year. They don't want to spoil their future prospects by antagonising us too much.

In theory the right could keep control of the group tor years simply by excluding just enough of us each year to keep themselves in the majority. That would depend on them having an NEC which would let them do it.

There is, though, a more likely short-term reason for these antics. Each of the 26 expelled from the Group is up for re-election in 1984. If there were an NEC declaration that all Councillors expelled from Labour Groups were inelligible to stand as candidtes then a sizeable number of experienced left wingers would be excluded.

Although this probably would not have much effect on the overall numbers of left councillors - others would take our place - the loss of experience would certainly weaken the impact the left could make.

The right will fail in their attempt to split us up. But what happens after that depends on what sort of campaign is built up in the Party as a whole to defend the rights of rank and JOHN HAKKIS file members in Manchester.

The strength of the left wing councillors lies in the overwhelming support we enjoy in the constituencies and the City Party. That is why the present Right-dominated NEC are hellbent on closing the City Party down.

What they want in its place is some tame body that has no direct trade union representation on it and which would allow the right wing councillors to get on with the job of carrying out Tory policy.

The attacks on the City Party, Wythenshawe CLP and the Left on the council show the lengths to which the right are prepared to go to defend their positions of power and influence.

What is happening in Manchester will be used as a model in other 'troublesome areas.

The right know very well what is at stake. At the last council meeting they were openly and publicly threatening us with expulsion from the Party.

That is why we need the support of as many constituencies and trade union branches as possible. In passing the LAW model resolution and in making sure the left slate for the NEC is elected at this year's conference.

This is one battle the left cannot afford to duck if we are at all serious about fighting for socialist policies and socialist leadership within the Party.

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