CBI's gloomy forecast

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Recessionary policies-Chancellor Howe collaboration with a system so prospect of an escape from the inherently chaotic that it is now circle of speed-up, sackings and closing. down and clearly plunging living standardsobstructing the necessary because in only such an development of the forces of economy can the productive production, setting social pro- forces be expanded to satisfy Only a socialist planned than the profit lust of the tiny Even before the announcement of the Tories' latest £3.6 billion A CBI survey of 1,800 manufacturing companies revealed a staggering 70% holding order books with only four months' work or less-an increase of 4% since July.

41% of firms were more pessimistic for the future, more are working below capacity, and others are junking investment Exports are on the slide as the pound rides high on the foreign exchange markets, while companies clobbered by soaring interest rates and falling markets are in an increasingly poor financial state.

Far from the Tory myth of tax handouts and spending cuts boosting the private sector, the CBI expects investment manufacturing industry to fall by up to 5% next year.

One third of the CBI-surveyed firms had laid off workers in the last four months-and 37% expected to throw more on the dole in the next period.

For the employers of course, and those Labour and trade union leaders who accept their logic, the answer to this mounting recession is clear.

They argue that the working class-through sackings, speedup and falling living standardsshould suffer the full brunt of the crisis and sacrifice its own interests to preserve the profits of the capitalists.

Only by thus safeguarding the "viability" of private industry can any jobs be saved, they claim.

4. Concessions But in reality every time concessions are made by workers in the hopes of winning a respite from the capitalist crisis, a dangerous turn is made away from the necessity of confronting the employers.

There is no way the independent interests of the working class in Britain or in any other country can be secured through gress in reverse. economy, on a world scale, can few. now offer the working class the the needs of the many rather cost of living-as calculated by workers themselves in the form of committees of trade unionists and housewives, and oppose all reliance on the official Price Index and "threshold clauses"; and which will fight for councils of action to link struggles together and direct them politically to bring down the Tory General strike It is vital that sectional disputes that take place around the anti-union laws and other Tory attacks are generalised and focussed on the goal of a general strike.

Councils of action should be fighting for and preparing to organise a general strike. To do this they must be rooted in the organisations of the working class as genuine rank and file workers.

They should ensure that all picket lines are defended by building units for physical defence, based both on the pickets or occupations that exist and on mobilising mass pickets of the labour movement.

A leadership must be constructed in such struggles that is prepared to lead the working class beyond the perspective of removing the Tory government simply to replace it by a Labour government which will again tions as a step towards forming councils of action.

*Support the November 7 Lobby of Parliament called by Lambeth Council who have refused to implement the cut! or raise rents. Build for strike action on that day.

*Support the November 28 Day of Action against the cuts Turn one-day strikes into all out action.

*Support the February ! Lobby of Parliament called by NAC against the Corrie Bill Fight for strike action to defens and extend abortion rights.

*Campaign throughout thi trade unions and the • labou movement for the policies o a) immediate withdrawal British troops from Ireland b) self determination for thi Irish people; c) the restoration of political status to irish PoW preparatory to the release o republican prisoners; and d) th calling of a national labou movement conference Ireiand.

*Oppose all immigratio controls: no to the nationalis policy of import controls!

*Intervene in the Liaiso Committee for the Defence o Tunda llainno (l ONTill ennfor ence in January on the of the CDLM.

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spending cuts, British em- ployers have shown the impact of the gathering