Not Enough Trotskyists in the Upw!

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IN THE GREAT ARMY OF LABOUR-AND THESE PRESENTS The UPW Conference last week narrowly rejected a call for the re-election of officials by a vote of 10,587 to 8,124.

This indication of simmering discontent was also reflected in the passing of a censure motion on the behaviour of the union's Executive Council "for bringing which culminated in the recommendation for acceptance in the national ballot"

But in moving this resolution Derek Walsh from London stressed the difference between 'no confidence' and censure. No confidence means the sack; censure means a rap on the knuckles, he declared.

High point

Five motions of no confidence in the leadersh p had actually been tabled prior o the conference, but one was withdrawn and four defeated after speakers had tortuously argued that since the conferencé had already rejected the re election of officers it would be wrong to remove the existing leadership!

It was indeed the pay debate which marked the high point of interest at the conference, with delegates straining at the leash tor its commencement on Thursday.

Despite the limited time available, over 200 amendments had been tabled by branches to the Executive's Report on pay.

Conveniently 'lost'

17 of these were ruled out of order, and others conveniently "lost" by the Standing Orders Committee, who declared that they would have been out of order even if found!

Jackson's speech in the pay debate was prefaced by a warning to delanders is m the chair ing to delegates from the chair statements should not be made"

Jackson argued that the stringent productivity strings attached to the rejected pay offer were "phoney"-though he was unable publicly to reveal this to the membership.

And though the deal also included agreement to the introduction of part-time and casual statt, he argued that any branch retusing to accept such staff would receive support from Maurice Styles at Union headquarters.

Anyone with experience of the special brand of backstabbing "support" offered by ex-Stalinist Styles would have immediately smelt a rat at this point.

A Peterborough delegate expressed members' anger that £3 of the money already earned should be wrapped up in a "phony" productivity deal.

"It is better to fall flat on your face than to bend over backwards to compromise. We don't want blood but justice"

Referring to the overwhelming rejection of the Executive's proposed settlement, the delegate asked if there weren't "more Trotskyists the UPW than the rest of Western Europe"!

This however was clearly not the case to judge from the almost complete absence of any serious alternative for future struggles. Jackson was able with some justice to refer to the negative tone of the entire pay debate, and to stress that nobody seriously put forward a lead for pay claims to come.

But it is not only on the pay front that a decisive political lead is required.

A stir was created at conference when a confidential management circular, spelling out their policy of understaffing international telephone exchanges by 25% was Censured-Jackson revealed seven years after it was first implemented.

This serves only to highlight the continuing drive of management to slash manning levels throughout the Post Office.

Combatted

And the first tentative signs út private intervention into the Post Office were combatted by a composite resolution calling for action to prevent the handling of mail from Pharos Inland Periodicals.

As the Tory axe sharpens and the war on jobs is stepped up, the fight to build a new, principled socialist leadership in the UPW must be pressed ahead with urgency.

From back page the ending of the strike rests entirely at the door of the TGWU leaders-including Communist Party Stalinist Syd Staden and his "comrades" on the Regional Committee.

The fact that Moss Evans wrote personally to rule out of order an amendment on Garners for July's Biennial Delegate Conference of the TGWU amply demonstrates the way the struggle haunts the bureaucracy.

The Conference on June 9 is still on.

On the platform will be representatives from many recognition struggles.

Socialist Press calls on all supporters to work for and attend this event in order to bring together the lessons of bureaucratic betrayal of union rights—a vital part of the preparation of new leadership that will not betray.

CONFERENCE

'The Lessons of the Garners Strike"

Open to delegates and visitors from all unions Saturday June 9 University of London Union, Malet St., WC1 Full details from Strike WC2 ORRY P'M LATE COMRADES!

WILL COME IN REALLY HANDY!

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the UPW into disrepute during the 1979 negotiations on pay,

Committee, 12/13 Henrietta St., London