Workers Socialist League

Socialist Press, Trotskyism Today and the Trotskyist International Liaison Committee, 1975–1984

[-ey every working class family as lory economic…]

Socialist Press no. 221 (part 2), 5 November 1980 · scan p. 11 · about 664 words

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-ey every working class family as lory economic policies gather pace.

And while BL management plead that they "cannot afford" to pay their workers a living wage, this same line is being echoed by every employer in both the private and the public sector.

On Monday, Rolls Royce management arrogantly informed union negotiators that they were imposing a 12-month "pay freeze"-and that the only option open to the unions was to negotiate a 5% productivity In Fords management claim that profits in the second half of the year are "almost non-existent" , and that therefore they are only prepared to offer a single figure pay increase.

The National Coal Board, too, has played the same old tune-turning out its empty pockets and telling miners that they are only prepared to offer a single figure increase in reply to the NUM's 35% claim.

Throughout the public sector, Tory Chancellor Sir Geoffrey Howe has set cash limits and scheduled further cuts which dictate pay increases of no more than 6-10%-well below the current rate of inflation.

Water workers have already declared themselves willing to prepare for strike action to pursue their 20% claim.

The fact is that while the Tories have avoided openly proclaiming a "pay limit" along the lines of Edward Heath and the last Labour government, their monetarist economic policies are designed to force down pay settlements by threatening closures and redundancies if workers fight for settlements to match inflation.

Yet militant opposition to the whole range of Tory policies is clearly rising throughout the working class.

The vote by 700 labour movement delegates last weekend for a programme of massive strike action against the cuts (see back page) has gone alongside unofficial action by NALGO members in numerous town halls to block the Tory policy of selling off council houses.

There is a mood for a fight against Thatcher. With 2½ million unemployed, prices soaring, and hospitals closing, more and more men, women and youth are saying, with the BL . The question has been where to begin.

Now that a powerful section of workers has taken a stand, the task is to ensure that they do not fight alone.

We must remember the bitter lessons of last winter, when TUC leaders left the steel strikers deliberately isolated sooner than allow an all-out fight to bring down the Tories.

As a result, tens of thousands of jobs have been lost, and the Tories left in office for another nine devastating months.

Never again must such a betrayal be allowed! Enough is enough! We must bring down this savage government of employers, aristocrats and bankers!

Miners, Ford workers, Rolls Royce workers and others with pay claims outstanding must demand all-out action alongside BL.

The fight for action to the public serviceshealth, education, social security and social servicesmust be driven forward.

Wherever struggles erupt, councils of action must be fought for to draw in delegates from every section of the local labour movement-trade union bodies, workers' political parties, students, tenants and pensioners associations-to broaden, deepen and extend the fight into a general strike to bring down the Thatcher In this way the most favourable conditions can be created to fight for the removal of the right wing Labour leadership and all of those leaders left' and right alike who stand opposed to the necessary socialist policies to answer the economic crisis.

obby On Monday 27 October the North West Thames Regional Health Authority were lobbied by about 30 stewards and trade unionists campaigning against the plans to close St. Mary's Hospital, Harrow Road.

After a long battle against the closure, the Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster AHA have referred the decision to the region, leaving the final decision to the Tory Minister of Health.

Following usual practice the RHA took the item on St. Mary's off the agenda, and have deferred the discussion until the next meeting on Monday 24 November.

Leaders of the St. Mary's campaign are planning a massive lobby of this meeting.

← Contents of Socialist Press no. 221 (part 2), 5 November 1980