Backing for Benn at Jobless Rally

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George Bolton, Vice-President of the Scottish Area of the Mineworkers. Union, speaking in Falkirk on Monday last, launched a scathing attack upon Terry Duffy, Alex Kitson and those other trade union leaders who have set out to sabotage Tony Benn's campaign to become Deputy Leader of the Parliamentary Labour Party.

The personal role of Benn is not the main issue, said Bolton, but what he represents in terms of the demand of the rank and file for implementation of socialist policies.

These criticisms of sections of the trade union leadership followed upon a ringing call for the overthrow of the Thatcher government by mass working class action, recalling the defeats inflicted upon Heath by the miners in 1972 and 1974.

The occasion of this significant speech was a well attended public meeting in Falkirk Town Hall to promote the campaign against unemployment in the Central Region.

Earlier, the meeting had heard Bridie Bellingham speaking on behalf of the workers in occupation at the Lee Jeans factory in Greenock, explain how the multinational employers had deliberately run the factory down to make it appear inefficient-with the aim of transferring production to their factory in Northern Ireland which is less well organised than the workforce at Greenock.

The workers had asked the management for an independent enquiry to examine the books of the firm and challenge their argument that the factory was not viable.

On the basis of the published accounts alone, said Bridie, it was clear that profits had remained high throughout the 1970s.

The response of the trade union and labour movement over the nine weeks of occupation had been "brilliant" and the workforce were determined to fight on to victory.

The workers had rejected blackmail attempts by the management, and had publicly burnt the last batch of letters sent out to them.

No threats or bribes would induce the workforce to surrender; "We are not in the business of selling jobs"

A collection at the meeting raised over £60 for the fighting fund at Lee Jeans.

A salutory warning note was struck at the meeting ex-shop steward at Longbridge. Speaking from the plavern, he contrasted the past reputation of strong trade union organisation at British Leyland with the defeats that have been inflicted since Edwardes took over -57,000 jobs gone, numerous factories closed and the sacking of shop stewards, beginning with Derek Robinson 18 months ago.

Undermined

Jim drew attention to the way in which the trade union leadership involved, especially that of the AUEW, had repeatedly undermined the militant response of the workforce.

"High unemployment" warned Jim, "threatens us all, even those in factories with a reputation for militancy and strong unionism."

The meeting was another step forward in the ongoing campaign in the Central Region against unemployment.

Beginning with a conference in Falkirk in October last year, there have been since then a successful demonstration in Stirling and the establishment of an Unemployed Workers Association in that town.

Centres for the unemployed are also in the course Benn of being set up in Alloa, Grangemouth and Stirlingto ensure the closest relationship between the unemployed and the trade union and labour movement fighting together against the Tory Lynn Mackenzie, Secretary of Falkirk Trades Council and a leading figure in the campaign, outlined all of this to the meeting and went on to appeal for sup: port for forthcoming activities such as street collections in Falkirk on the following two Fridays and a rally in Stirling that Wednesday afternoon as part of the TUC "week of activity".

The campaign being waged in the Central Region of Scotland may be regarded as containing valuable lessons for the entire trade union and labour movement as to how to orientate and organise a struggle against unemployment.

The way is now opening for a fuller exchange of experiences amongst the various organisations of the unemployed that have sprung up throughout the country in order to draw upon the lessons grasped in the different areas and to begin to coordinate these campaigns.

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Knees could almost be heard knocking last week as Civil Service union leaders issued dire warnings to the Tory government.

If Thatcher's gang sent in Navy scabs to break the strike by civil servants at the Faslane Polaris base in Scotland, there might be an 'explosion' of strike action, they warned.

In other words, an illconsidered move by the government could wreck the union bureaucrats' carefully laid plans to restrict the scope selectiv been c weeks.

Find direction of • strikes they h illing for the past Militancy There is no doubt that the level of militancy among civil servants remains very high-despite the efforts of union leaders to wear down members' fighting strength through demoralising partial action designed to spin out the pay battle for as long as possible.

By holding off their threatened move to use Navy personnel to do the work of the Faslane strikers the Tory government implicitly recognised this strength-and the crucial role being played in their defence by the union leaders.

Elsewhere the extent to which the Thatcher government has antagonised crucially-placed workers even in the military and espionage sectors was confirmed by the stoppages at sattelite tracking stations and the top secret GCHQ monitoring station (which featured prominently in the ABC "Official Secrets" trial).

But such support for action can be frittered away if the union deaders are not forced to step up the action and press home the fight for the full claim.

A magnificent class res. ponse by Coventry's 700 local authority workers developed over the course of the last week.

This action was triggered off after years of consistent attacks that the City Council had launched upon the working conditions of local government trade unions.

Though forced to beat a total retreat by the furious 1) the right to hold shop floor meetings of a rearonable duration.

2) to maintain traditional sections that management negotiate before forcing new duties upon the workforce.

A volatile situation arose. The political scene was complicated by the Labour Group's call for the expulsion of the 12 left wing rebel councillors, some of whom had supported the demands returned with TGWU officials from talks with the Council on Thursday afternoon.

He brought news that the Council had agreed to go back to status quo. This meant the total collapse of the council position with an agreement in document form.

An emergency shop stewards committee was called for that evening and it

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