Camden workers join with Labour Left

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Cuts Conference led jointly by the Campaign for Democracy in the Labour Movemen the Campaign for Democracy in the Labour Saturday March 21 from 10.30 am. to 5.00 pm.

Islington Central Library, Holloway Road, London N7 Details and credentials from: SO/CDLM Cuts Conference, been crumbling.

At a fully attended NUPE shop stewards committee on Monday 23 February, stewards representing two of Camden's three refuse depots pulled their members out of the strike.

And then, in what appeared to be an organised manoeuvre, they turned up at a section neeting of the Cressy Road refuse depot on Thursday morning.

Rejecting the arguments of shop steward John Seymour and Branch Secretary John Suddaby the Cressy Road men voted to follow the other depots and go into work on March 4.

At this stage it is hard to assess the impact of this action on the rest of the NUPE workforce.

It would be wrong to be demoralised by this apparent disarray.

The fact that 31 out of 40 members of the NALGO executive stand united in their resolve to persuade their members to accept the campaign adopted by the JSSC a stiength which is encouraging.

However the tactic of resigning en mass can be disastrous if the right: wing organise to destroy the principled lead so far given.

The present leadership feels ses! contident new . FO gaining mandate militant for their policies.

The way all out action has been posed to the UCATT membership seems almost designed to lead to rejection by thé members. All-out till when? Until the Tories are brought down?

•With no fall back position of support for NUPE's guerrilla actions, this all-or-nothing position could lead to capitulation without a struggle.

Ther, of course, the argument will be put forward that the working class were unwilling to fight!

It is important that militants begin to challenge the ultimatism that the Stalinist leadership is: presenting to UCATT members.

Nevertheless it is clear that with no room to manoeuvre the UCATT leadership is being forced down the road to confrontation.

Paradoxically it is those NUPE sections who were the least militant in the low pay strike of 1979 that are the hardest hit by the imposed pay freeze.

The whole social services that the only way forward is open confrontation with the The LCC has not faced up to this challenge. Originally they had seen this as a problem two or three years ahead. But the toughening attitude of the government means that this question now stares them in the face.

Five resolutions on resistance to 'local authority cuts have been submitted to the annual congress of the 'STUC to be held in April.

Stirling and District Trades Council have called for a joint section-who were the weakest link in that strike-look like holding firm for March 4.

They have given a lead that other NUPE. sections must follow.

As the events in Southend have shown, no section of public employees is immune from the rapacious Tories.

Socialists in NUPE must build on the strengths forged in the fight for action on March 4 and persuade those who have hesitated this time round that they must begin to take part in a united campaign.

The NUPE Jeadership have so far correctly refused to back down on strike action on March 4 despite their retreat by the refuse sections.

They see the strike on March 4 as just the beginning of a campaign and for that reason they have correctly gone for a mass picket of the Town Hall at 5 pm that night rather than a march during working hours.

This means that all workers in the Borough have a chance to express their hostility to the Council's decisions.

Furthermore the boiler section has already started industrial action blacking all repairs POLICIES TO STOP Socialist Organiser c/o 66 Brokesley Street, Lordon E3.

conference of the STUC and the Scottish Council of the Labour Party to discuss "a united response to the government's attacks on local government and other public services"

The Fire Brigades' Union have asked for the STUC and Labour Party to discuss the possibility of a "no cuts no rate rises" policy.

Midlothian and East Lothian Trades Council are asking for "mass action aimed at forcing a General Election and returning a Labour government pledged to socialist policies.' to Town Hall boilers and getting agreement from Shell TGWU stewards to black oil deliveries.

In the Labour Party the Camden Labour Left is fighting to swing support behind the ten rebel left . councillors who campaigning against the Tories and the cuts imposed by the majority on the council.

The chances of such a united campaign were advanced on Tuesday 24 February when the St. Pancras North GMC (traditionally the most conservative of the three CLPs in Camden) voted for a resolution put forward by a supporter of the Camden Labour Left.

The resolution 'disassociated' the GMC from the Labour Group majority, supported the councillors who voted against the cuts and pledged the party to throw its full weight behind the unions and tenants' associations in industrial action and rent and rate strikes.

So-behind the appearances of division, the working class in Camden is moving into conflict with the Tories.

And in that movement workers are examining and testing leadership on every level within the labour movement.

-TGHU The LCC cannot duck the question much longer. Only a policy of developing mass action with a view to bringing down the Tory government can defend working class living standards now under attack. on all fronts.

*An interesting comment on the role of the media should be added. One Labour supporter stopped and interviewed in a Stirling street by a TV reporter found the interview came to an abrupt end when she declared her support for the 122% increase in rates!

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