The TUC programme calls for f24bn of investment in over years. In order 'reconstruct' British industry, this is insufficient. The plan calls for only f3bn in the next year. And overall this programme would only represent the reconstitution of the cuts in public investment made by this Tory government and the previous Labour tion.
Nonetheless, these
posals would be a good start. They go in a very different direction to that which the Tories and the bosses want. Indeed, they break with the practice of the last Labour government.
To get a plemented will therefore need a real fight. This means winning the mass of working people to support it. Without that support being mobilised the plan is no more than a scrap of The first problem is the title of the plan: "The Reconstruction of Britain'. Everybody uses this expression. 'I'nis is the name that hatcher has given her MaSS policies. The impression given by the whole approach of the plan is that the TUC is aiming at restoring the present capitalist economy. Profit But all experience has shown -especially that of the covereill that ally that accepts the profit basis of the system is to attack the working class, create mass unemployment smash up social services and public incolicil.
That was what the 'social contract amounted to during five years of 'hard Labour'. All the decisions of the LAbOuT Party the unions and the TUC itself since then have clearly been a rejection of that approach.
the present profit Socialist Chaltenge 3 September 1981 the the next to administraprosharply plan imunemployment Only scratching the surface of counterpose socialism. There is, last Labour approach know where it is heading.
and exua government botownig.
affiliated who will profit out of it who controls that credit.
oriented about tunes wages. turies! capitalism, must Workers control and then, nothing flation. with presenting the present proposals as emergency measures, so long as the overall direction and goal is understood by the Labour move- private ment. Then, before taking their place on the TUC train, each worker will The TUC explains that it will get the money from this investment from To be sure, credit is the guiding lever of the economy. But what the effects of such large scale borrowing will be - and — depends on It is just nonsense for the plan to merrily assert that high government simply borrowing will not force up the inHUNDREDS of youth rallied in the centre of Newcastle last week to oppose slave labour.
They were not protesting the exploitation working people in the third world, where privately owned companies have made forpaying starvation They were opposing government sanctioned ripoff which provides businesses with a cheap supply of youth labour here in Britain: a country where labour has been organising itself for two cenThe scandal of the Youth Op portunities Programme should terest rates or that increasing the money supply will not accelerate inIf there is competition for credit then interest rates will go up. In a capitalist society this will discourage investment The level private investment has dropped by over 20 per cent during the last year.
Of course this is not only due to the high level of interest rates, but this has been one important factor.
Denving that expanding
money supply increases inflation is even more ridiculous. All the evidence of the history of our profit oriented system is that the bulk of this government money, raised on credit, will not go into productive investment. Rather the suppliers to the government will take the opportunity massively enhance their profits. Inflamake every trade unionist wince in embarrassment.
in four enters a YOP wage of £25.50 for six months temporary of wage is paid out money, supposedly to encourage employers to create new jobs.
Grim But the Manpower Commission estimate that at least a third of all YOP schemes don't involve new jobs tell remane cases, trainees workers who have been sacked.
After the three out of four YOP workers are hack on the dole. sometimes to be replaced by a new YOP employee Most YOP jobs are menial anc involve no training at all. The MSC even had rigure t.
Projected Housing Waiting List 1,800 1.600 * An eight year construction and repair and renovation programme should be started to provide 1.2 million new council homes. The first five years of this programme would cost £12,250m.
* The main programme of urban reconstruction will need at least £2,000m extra over the next five years.
* Health and building work £1,000m.
* The sewerage need an extra f1,000m to start a badly needed replacement programme.
tion, which mainly hits working people, will then ensue, if no counterThese counter-measures must involve taking over the banks. Investof ment can then be controlled. It's only the very largest of companies that can generate ineir own investments. But. of course, the people that own the banks are the same people that own the key the the commanding heights - will have to be taken over.
In any event, the last few years have proved once capitalists are incapable of providing for the basic needs of society. have been responsible for the 3m on Loe dole. destroying large sectors of industry in Britain as well as untold other crimes. school leavers scneme recorving a The showing • government wages for YOPs.
May, Services replace months to increase.
YOP £11¼ billion House building 122,000 jobs 21 bilen 15,400 jobs 77118 78/79 79/80 80/81 81 8 83/84 84/0: The TUC Plan struction over five years. * Railway to be over five years. * Ports education will require over five years. * Energy will ed to government dustry to be replaced!
These, Sneeze again that the They They are responsible for face This substitute labour. In much the same way women and replaced adult male labour at half their cost, in the Fi of high unemployment in labour movement's answer a hundred years ago was to drive women and children out of the labour market and to refuse to allow them into their unions At least some unions today are more sense. The Na tional Union of Public Employees (NUPE) organised the Newcastle rally which was demanding better At their national conterence ir NUPE agreed to organise a unionisation drive amongst YOPs to help them organise for better pay and conditions.
• societv has less right to a job than any other. But the danger of different groups be ing pitted against each other in competition for jobs will exist as long as unemployment continues The only effective way to prevent substitution is to fight for full * Road maintainence and conwill need f570m a year for five years: this means another £2,850m investment needs increased by £1,000m and airport improvements will cost an extra £1,000m over five years. *Telecommunication investment needs an extra £1,000m conservation will need an extra f450m * Extra power station capacity will need £1,250m.
How can the TUC suggest that we allow these people to continue in the same old way. How can they be allowcontinue to suck our blood through high interest rates and have finance, NTOU taxes on workers, regenerate their infor them? Capitalism has snown itselt bankrupt and demands The TUC plan projects the creation of 500,000 more jobs. Clearly, the creation of so many jobs is not to be sneezed at. But unemplovment is a such a calamitous level that this size of job creation only scratches the surjob creation plan