Arthur Scargill echoed thousands when he thundered 'We need actions not words. Speaking against the Tebbit bill he declared 'We don't want a debate on the clauses but about mobilising and organising to defeat it.
resolutions. There is only one response we can have and that is to defy the law. If we build tion'.
With other debates at the Congress. this registered a mood of defiance and frustration with the toothless record of the General Council.
Moving the succesful anti-Tebbit resolution that 20B01 Im perative, Tony Dubbin of the cation said rape al Association said had our publicity cam paign. This motion calls for a change of direction in how fight. disturbs me was the silence congress mouse over Sean Geraghty. The movexpects leadership These sentiments were echoed throughout the delegate declared 'enough is enough' in the face of redundancies, and wage cuts. POEU delgates reported a one day strike of telecommunICaLORs worKers October against privatisation. Mick McGahey nounced We will go into action if necessary to save jobs and I hope the Triple Alliance will stand by us.
the feelings It means taking direct action not passing Even the lily-livered Stee Committee reflected pressure for action by calling an unprecedented meeting Sheffield on 6 October of shop stewards and branch officials trom every union, in every steel plant to coor dinate Count-WIet resistance to the latest British Steel Corporation redundancy plans.
Best The high point for these fiery speeches was the General Council call for sondarity stoppages with health strikers on September.
VISTOLS gallery, packed with lobbying and ambulance drivers inspired delegates to a new-found militancy. The emotional scenes, punctuated by three standing ovations found even right wingers talling over temselves Lo be the health workers' best defender, Geoffrey Drain NALGO General Secretary announced This is landmark in the history of the trade union movement and we'll do it It's the first time since 1926 that the TUC General Council has given a lead in action of this kind'.
Repeating the slogan of lobbiers 'One hour is a lunch break, we want a one day Arthur Scargill raised plause delegates when he stated "The only language us government understands is the one they the language of muscle. We can best support the health workers by coming out on strike for the day and instead of going. rallies going to picket lines'.
Of course the e General Council, who sold out the ASLEF strike and left Sean Geraghty out in the cold, have not had a sudden conversion on the road to Brighton. the Congress is showing is that working people are VELCEISTeR by Tories Pressure is mounting in the trade union leaders to head up the anti-Tory struggle. Frantic efforts by right wing leaders like Murray, to force contentious issues off the agenda, ed for the record of the right to spotlighted, openly debated and rejected.
- By Celia Pugh The Construction Sec tion of the AUEW refuse to withdraw a resolution which rejected 'any discussion on pay restraint with this or any other Government'.
Steel The steel union, ISTC ment to support the TUCCommittee Document Which states that earnings and incomes would be emMany economic assessment car-OUL and Government' amendment was rejected over a million and a half votes. Congress later ment on economic plannbut the support for the resolution another Social Contract. It IC CCHIOL also repulsed the attempts Chapple wind seighell t Chapple and policies by raising the spec. tre of a Labour electoral Weighell was howled down when he bellowed • At stroke you will destroy any chance or win ning the next OCLaUSC peopic will 2a1O Country wen the COLLILLY. end up destroying the chances o he next Government jus like you did with the five percent last time'.
strong applause miners' leader Mick McGahey knocked this on the head. Whatever you It. WaLC poncy contract this has been the achilles heel of our movement. has alienated people from a please address yourself to the creators of unemployment, the Tories and not the workers of the trade union movement. And let's be clear, having carried this resolution. superceded the LP-TUC document' Lose There were signiticant setbacks the slimmest of votes, Congress voted bi jority of 446,000 to change the method of electing the General Council. Left leaders like Buckton, MeGahey and Sapper are likely to lose their seats next September under the new rules. But for this year least the balance has shifted to the left with the replacement of the NUM moderate Chadburn by Mick McGahey. Deeds The Congress also defeated an attempt by the left to withdraw from talks with the Tories in the National Economic Development Council (Neddy) But even here, over a third radical break from TUC tactics of concession Bill Keys of SOGAT argued, 'Let's translate the words into deeds. How much longer are we going to sit around tables with who have NED, not because I'ma for pulling quitter, but to put ourselves in a position to fight. have do everything we possibly car to get rid of this Govern ment'.
Fire Brigade Union General Secretary, Ken Cameron CADICSSCO the response of the left to this set back, *This is the beginning of a rank and file Labour Party Young Socialists groundswell against col laboration the Government'.
The weeks's events show that pressure from the workplaces and union forcing leaders to act. It is pressing concials to challenge the record of the General Council. These left leaders must now turn their own words into action by driving home the advantage of the TUC call for industrial action to defend the healthworkers.
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strike action for 22 September we will be show- ing we are not prepared to accept the legisla-
from you and it deserves Cuts