SACK DUFFY! That was the cry of BL workers who picketed the national shop meeting in Birmingham should have added 'Sack Kitson' as well. Between them, the leaders of the AUEW and TGWU have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory to sabotage the possibility of a national struggle against BL's derisory 3.8 per cent pay offer.
Duffy argued against a strike on the basis of supporting England'. lead, telling his members to 'make up their own minds'. Last week's massive vote for a strike was turned with the help of the media, into a narrow victory against a strike. The role of the leaders was decisive. They appealed stewards Monday. They massive defeat for Leyland workers.
Kitson refused to give a national lead is required Left in the AUEW. over the heads of the stewards and more militant workers to the rank and file. The fact that there now won't be a strike, in return for the board marginal fringe benefits, is a set-back, not a But it shows that for a real struggle against Edwardes' slave labour plans and his ultimate aim to close down Leyland, for a real struggle to the CBI against the Tories' four per cent wage norm, section by section militancy is not enough - a ple First and foremost we need a new Broad The Duffy-Boyd team in the AUEW is the main prop for the right wing in the whole Labour movement - the Labour Party as well be defeated. as the unions. To organise against them it will be necessary to take up their policies across - from nuclear weapons to their craven capitulation to the BL bosses.
'Labour lieutenants of capital' is an old expression. Never has it been more appropriate than now. It was all summed up by a delegate bosses conference who argued against anti-union laws on the basis of 'why bash the unions when people like Frank Chapand Terry Duffy are doing such a gooc job?'. Why indeed? Some of our most impor tant unions are led by peopie who have more in with the bosses than their own members. Until we change that we will always
of workers outside British Leyland, and stressed the importance resolve the dispute speedily and satisfactorily as possible.' There were two