- show that they know only decisive industrial action can stop the Tory offensive against jobs and democratic rights.
In this sense, these workers bear a heavy responsibility. If the labour movement is to present a united front against the Tory ass ault - and not be divided as happened on May 14th - they will tightens curbs they themselves established under the last Labour government in the "Concordat'. Even May 14th was used, as Murray himself almost admitted, as 'pressure' on the government to open up a dialogue with them on this question.
It will take more than this, however, to dissuade the Tories from their purpose. They have no intentions of entrusting the TUC with 'controlling' its own members after the winter of discontent' last year when - in defiance of the TUC thousands of workers struck in protest against the government's pay ceiling. They no longer trust them.
In order to push home their offensive, the Tories intend to use all the power and backing at their command - the police, the courts, the press to intimidate workers from defending their jobs and living standards in the big battles that are going to open up. * ers act, that a really united defence can be mobilised against Thatcher's attacks.
whora Labour gorernment is returned, it will be committed to a programme in the interests of As part and parcel vi this fight, the question of democracy will come ever more to the fore. It has already been raised at the last Labour Party Conference and is begining to find its echoes in the unions too.
It is only by fighting to extend democratic control over the labour leaders that we can ensure that they will carry out policies in their members' interests and that they can be removed if they won't.
FIGHTBACK Confronted with a determined Tory government intent on taking the unions back to the times of Taff Vale, it will need more than words to defend our democratic rights. It will take more than trips back and forth to Downing Street. We have to make it absolutely clear to our leaders that, as far as we are concerned, none of our hard-fought rights are negotiable.
Rather than discussing with Thatcher, what the TUC should now be doing is building on the turn out on May 14th to prepare mass resistance to the Prior proposals. The Tories should be left in no doubt at all that any attempt to use these provisions against trade unionists will meet a mass resistance.
HANDS OFF THE UNIONS!
MASS RESISTANCE AGAINST TORY CURBS!
MAKE LABOUR PLEDGE TO REPEAL THE ACT! movement which - as on May the Tories real chance for delegates to exrally anti-Tory action.
GAGGED for Callaghan -parliamentary pussy-footing on delegates who turned up.
its opposition to the Thatcher Kinnock The Labuar Party a specst conterence on May 31st was an unusual step. Called by the left-dominated NEC, it was clearly a response to native resolutions. growing pressure within the labour 14th - has been involved in mass forward actions to defend its living standards and democratic rights against As such, the conference offered a change experience and thrash out a bold, fighting policy which could ded.
millions behind them in ACTION But did the conference do this?
Hardly. Although the very calling of a special conference was a rebuff who wants anti-Tory opposition to be contained to - the Labour NEC virtually placed a gag four years time Submitting a statement declaring fine.
movement today. delagates would not be allowed to submit amendments to it nor alterThis gag on democracy meant that what could have been a real debate on the way - resulting in action became nothing more than a rally.
Leader after leader took the rostrum to denounce Tory economic strategy. The cuts were attacked, Prior's anti-union curbs exposed, unemployment figures deriBut, apart from the ritual opposition to Tory party policy, what lead was actually given in combatting these attacks? None whatsoever. The main thrust was to counterpose the programme of a future Labour government - in • to the anarchy the Tories are now creating A great deal of emphasis, fom MPs such as Skinner to Benn, was placed upon the New Economic Strategy proposed. The increases in social expenditure promised, the extension of public ownership etc, are all The only problem, however, is that they have very little to do with the real problems facing the labour How can the actions of a future Labour government help working people today. confronted as they are with massive inroads into the welfare state, an unemployment situation threatening to reach two and a half million next year, soaring inflation and a broad-side against the democratic rights of the unions? PROTEST But the Labour leaders didn't have it all their own way. Reality intruded into the conference when a number of delgates, who got to the rostrum, denounced the undemo. cratic way in which the conference had been organised Many of these also pointed out the inadequacy of talking about what Labour would do in four years time and the need to think about what Labour is going to do now in the teeth of a major anti working class offensive and how to carry forward the momentum of May 14th.
It is Labour activists such as these who, in the period ahead, will have to continue the fight to turn the Labour Party outwards. to make sure that it can provide a real leadership in the labour movemen: against the policies Thatcher is pursuing George Hold (Peckham YS)
Socialist Action