[Jack Jones, leading advocate of the TUC's wage-cutting…]

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Jack Jones, leading advocate of the TUC's wage-cutting plan to limit rises to £6, whict is now being enforced by law by the Wilson government has now claimed that the wage-cutting measures have held down unemployment.

In an article in the T&GWU Record, Jones appeals for union "solidarity" behind the government which, through deliberate acts of policy has thrown 1 millir on the dole.

LIE Still peddling the lie that the wage controls are "voluntary" Jones refuses to oppose what he hypocritically calls the "shocking figure" of unemployed, and offer: no prospect of defending the thousands more jobs threatened by government spending cuts, by speed-up and closures in the coming months.

Instead, he claims the figure would have been worse if the union leaders had not "come to the aid of the government."

In fact it has been Jones' complete solidarity with the CBi and the right wing leadership of the Labour government that has ensured that workers are confronted with both a cut in real wages, and mass unemployment.

But all is not going Jones' way even within the T&G itself. The trainee officers says "For the first six months employment will be on a probationary basis, as a trainee official ... at the end of that period, the appointment shall be reviewed by the General Secretary, acting on behalf of the National Executive Council of the Association." raises the question of democracy within the union.

The need for elections, not selection of officials (including Clive Jenkins) is immediately posed.

A letter circulated throughout the union by Len Wells (ASTMS President) and Clive Jenkins (GenJones London and Home Counties Reg ion of the union has voted 48 - 4 to urge the union and the TUC to abandon the social contract.

This move is just a first reflectio: of the struggles against bureaucrats like Jones which will break out as workers fight to defend jobs and wages in the coming period.

The demand now must be not just rejection of the social contract and complete opposition to the reactionary policies of the Labour government, but the removal of Jones, the architect of this historic TUC betrayal of the working class.

Jones, who now speaks for the extreme right wing must be replaced by a leader prepared to use the power of Britain's largest union to give full official support to all workers fighting now for jobs and wages.

eral Secretary) to explain the situation says:

"These matters are very difficult to deal with simply because one is looking for qualities of excellence in all our officer staff, and there must always be room for difference about this."

There certainly must be room for difference!

Socialist Press would like to invite letters from any ASTMS members who may have come across a full-time ASTMS official with any qualities of excellence!