George Hold (Peckham CLP)
The Tories have declared war on public sector workers. Not content with axing thousands of jobs - through social services cuts. -they have now imposed a 6% wage freeze.
However Hesaltine might interpret it, the 6% represents a full blown incomes policy. At a time when inflation is raging at around 16%, millions of workers are expected to accept what will amount to a 10% wage cut.
The Tories action against the firefighters represents the shabbiest part of their new policy. They have openly reneged on the earlier deal which guaranteed FBU members an 18.5% increase. many local authorities are appalled by the governments action.
JOBS No doubt the Tories hope to ram their policy home by suggesting that - if the 6% pay norm is breached - then this will merely lead to a loss of jobs. They hope that the threat of redundancies Will discourage any fight-back.
But they have miscalculated. Public sector workers are not falling for that hoary old argument. In response to strong rank-and-file pressure, the Executive of the firefighters union has already declared a series of one-day stoppages combined with an overtime ban.
As Scottish regional secretary Mike Jones put it, this was "...the most basic response - the smallest form of industrial action we can take".
ACTION Moreover, miltancy is increasing For a Class Struggle Left Wing in the Labour Movement Even Firefighter's on strike in 1977 in other public sector unions. On hearing Hesaltine's proposals, Alan Fisher (NUPE, leader) declared: "What the government is offering is not a 6% wage increase but a 10% decrease"
Calling a conference of all public PAI GRE of joint action in the period ahead, of one kind or another" was probably on the cards.
What is not needed, however, is "hints'. Nor delaying tactics sector unions to work out some form Fisher hinted that "industrial action December 80 which leave the firefighters to go into action alone to 'test the water'. Such an attitude will only allow the government the opportunity to pick off public sector unions one by one and demoralise the others.
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