Lambeth: putting Scots Labourites: no fight on cuts

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The conference against the cuts convened by marks a focal point for those militants seeking a way forward against the Tory offensive in the public sector.

But it will also form a stamping ground for numerous left' talking councillois seeking to register a token vote of protest before implementing the Tory cuts.

The draft resolution tabled by the organisers leaves many loopholes for such elements. But a series of amendments put forward last week by the Leicester AUEW 16 Branch, and supported by Socialist Press, Socialist Organiser and the Campaign for Democracy in the Labour Movement, aim to lay the basis for a generalised struggle against the cuts.

Commitment

They specifically demand that the resolution's call for joint action:

"should not mean CLPs or Labour councillors using the inactivity of others to justify implementing or accepting cuts themselves"

They add the commitment that:

"We pledge ourselves to fight to commit the whole labour movement to the following policies:

1) Cancellation of debt charges. Open the books; nationalise the supply industries, e.g. drugs, food and buliding, and the banks and finance institutions without compensation under workers' control. 2) No charity funding of facilities! Black private sector use of facilities!

3) Funds of public services to be (as a minimum) protected from inflation in line with a cost index worked out by labour movement committees".

A weak kneed section on Town Hall unions is deleted and replaced by a declaration that:

"This conference calls on trade union organisations at all levels [from TUC General Council to branches and shop steward committees] to pledge themselves to and campaign for all-out strikes and occupations of workplaces as soon as any Labour council faces receivers or commissioners, or is surcharged, for taking a stand against the cuts.

"The struggle may centre around the public sector unions at first, but conference calls on other workers, especially, the strong sections like the miners and engineers, to join this fight to force the Tory government to back down on the cuts or get out. Conference also calls on Labour councils and Labour Parties, in cooperation with local anti-cuts committees and tenants' associations, to campaign for rent and rate strikes as soon as any Labour council is removed or surcharged for taking a stand against the cuts"

Under the heading of industrial action, the amendments call for:

"A policy of no cover for vacancies and a campaign against voluntary redundancies and natural wastage. Create and defend jobs by stopping overtime and fight for a shorter working week" as well as:

"Initiation of and support for action now against the cuts. Trade unionists and councillors should immediately publicise proposed cuts; no secret deals!

Where closures are proposed, resist rundown prior to closure, demand repairs are made, defend equipment.

Immediate strike action with official support to stop redundancies as soon as notices are issued.

Where closures are announced, prepare for occupation of threatened facilities, and supporting strike action as soon as the occupation is threatened with eviction.

Organise full strike pay for staff in occupation if wages are cut off"

"A national fight is necessary to force the Tories to back down, but this should not mean staking everything on a predetermined date or holding back IN CRISIS National Labour Trade Union Conference Saturday November 1 Camden Town Hall for credentials write Rm 103, Lambeth Town Hall London SW2 1RW Starts 10.30 am.

immediate local action. Conference calls on all activists to campaign for complete non-cooperation with the Tory cuts, for Labour Party and union support for local anti-cuts fights, and for Labour MPs to assist the fight against the Tories by filibusterWork in Pabitating the Tories The resolution's call for non-cooperation in the sale of council houses is strengthened in the amendments by specific support for such action by Newcastle NALGO, and a call for strike action to defend any worker victimised.

An attempt to fix definitive date of January 1 for the necessary all-out action is deleted, and there is an attempt to put the left talkers on the spot by calling for the publication of:

• •. details of those councils, trade union organisations and Labour Parties willing to make the commitment called for by this conference"

Practical fight

Other trade union and Labour Party bodies are discussing the same package of amendments, which provide a firm basis for a practical fight on a national level against the cuts.

In this way the militant words of Ted Knight and company can best be put to the test in the eyes of public sector workers.

We urge Socialist Press readers to attend this important conference and support these amendments. Health Boards, delegates from Constituency Labour Parties campaign against the Tory government's cuts. opposing the cuts within existing legal boundaries.

Bruce Millan, the Shadow Minister of State for Scotland, went so far as to advise Health Board representatives not to refuse to implement the Tory cuts, but to stay in their positions and try to alleviate the worst effects of health service cuts!

Split

This is in a situation where Lothian Health Board is split over the question of whether to oppose the government and if so how to oppose them.

Each individual local authority was left to its own devices on how far to oppose the cuts.

It was evident that the position of Labour Coordinating Committee supporters is to refuse to implement the cuts in services and to fight for local government's right to raise revenue.

Marjorie Bain of East Edinburgh CLP pointed out that this meant going to working class Labour Party supporters and saying: 'We will maintain your services and defend your living standards with 60%, 70%, 80% rates increases"

Bankrupt policy

It is self-evidently a bankrupt policy.

Although a number of delegates raised the question of opposing cuts in services and rate increases it was evident that LCC supporters would be going to their electorates on the position of justifying high rate increases.

The majority of councils will no doubt continue to make cuts in services-althought not to the extent required by the Tory It was interesting that there was no contribution to the debate from Strathclyde Regional Council or Glasgow District Council.

The stirrings in the Labour Party have not yet had the effect of awakening these bastions of right wing domination.

They obviously • have no intention of being in the forefront of any struggle to bring down the Thatcher government this winter.