Futile gesture by Low Pay' traitors

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THE CRISIS IN THE MOTOR INDUSTR\ Called by the Campaign for Democracy Saturday January 20th, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Full details from CDLM, c/o 37, Birchfield Clost government are confronted by a growing mass movement in the unions against the wage-cutting, anti-working class policies of the Callaghan-Healey gang, it is to be expected that even a paper like Labour Weekly will feel a little discomfiture at speaking too strongly on the anti-unionism of the Tories.

In fact, in a shamefaced way, the contradiction had to be recognised, thus we read: "There have been disagreements (!), particularly over pay policy, and there are major problems on the induștrial front at the the problems the Tories would create"

The message is simple: the working class must sit by and watch as troops are prepared to organise picketbreaking scab operations, since Thatcher would be 'worse' There is of course no doubt that Thatcher's ravings represent • the response of the Conservative Party leadership to the increasing militancy of the working class. Realising the increasing inability of the union leaders to hold back working class action against wage control the Tories towards reliance on the courts and the state machine to confront the labour movement.

As such, Thatc cher's proposals are a declar ation of war on the working class.

Crushing blow

Were she able to stop social security payments to strikers' families, force in secret ballots for strike decisions, remove the right to strike for key sections of workers, and remove the 'legal immunity' of the unions (i.e. make it possible for employers to sue unions PRESS the the the If you refuse to beat them, subsidise them!

That must be the perverted thinking behind the decision by leaders of public sector unions to place whole page adverts in Labour Weekly opposing the government's 5% pay limit and supporting the so-called "Low Pay Campaign' Labour Weekly of course has tirelessly touted the 5% pay policy week in, week out, and echoes every lying and reactionary statement by Labour leaders about wage increases supposedly causing inflation. in the Labour Movement January 20th, 11 a.m.-5 Digbeth Civil Hall Birmingham Blackbird Leys, Oxford PHOTO: Laurence Sparham, IFL In the same issue of th reformist house journal its chief sponsor James Callaghan presents his New Year message, in which he flatly opposes all forms of pay struggle:

"Let those who possess industrial muscle or monopoly power resolve not to abuse their great strength.

"Individual greed and disregard for the wellbeing of others can undermine and divide our society. It is not for Britain.

"Let us resolve - to practise a greater sense of responsibility for eachother and for those in need-the sick, disabled, handicapped, the elderly.

"And if we are to mean this, let us be prepared to put our money-and our taxes-where our mouth is"

Not a word of course about those in need including the low paid who, in the midst of crumbling social services savaged by Healey's spending cuts, have the arduous task of actually caring for the old and the sick.

On the contrary. last winter it was Callaghan, supported by Labour Weekly, who sent in the troops to smash the firemen's strike.

Now he is lining up these uniformed scabs to break any strike undertaken by low paid workers in the public sector.

Subsidising Callaghan's treachery by placing huge adverts in Labour Weekly (paid for with union funds) does nothing to win the the struggle for the £60/ 35 hour week claim in the public sector.

But it does speak volumes of the politcal line and limitations of the public sector union leaders, and the need for a new leadership in the labour movement as a whole.