Civil Service Talks

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Civil service union leaders, still unable to summon up the courage to offer the militant stand demanded by their members, continue their futile talks with the Tories as we go to press.

The Tories, looking at the continued refusal of the union bureaucracy to mount all-out action and the resultant patchy impact of selective strikes, have become arrogantly cocksure. ists to support Socialist Press.

It is far from certain, however, that the right wing will meekly accept this verdict.

Like right wingers every where, they believe in "democracy" and the authority of leading bodies only when the decisions arrived at are in line with their reactionary views.

Notorious

The Oxford GC comprises some of the most notorious right wingers in the local labour movement from the anti-union millionare boss of Pergamon Press Robert Maxwell, through strike-breaking AHA chairperson Lady Molarthy, to the witch-hunting John Power; now a city and county councillor, who after selling his job through volunThatcher has even insisted that they pull back from the mooted compromise of offering a further ¾-1% on the present 7% offer in exchange for more rapid loss of civil service jobs. She is determined to beat back this challenge to her public sector pay limits.

"Inquiry"

The best that is : at present is a time Royal Con "inquiry" civil tary redundancy at the BL car plants is now a lone AUFW member working in a library.

Not surprisingly such a gaggie of scabs and right wingers-with their faces set against any of the progressive changes now sweeping through other parts of the Labour Party-wish at all costs to keep Heslin (and if possıble other socialistsi off the Oxford GC.

It is therefore not unlikely that the latest NFC letter will be received as yet another ex cuse for prolonged prevarication.

The fight for his reinstatement-the only current struggle of its kind in the country --1s a symbol of the fight for socialism in à party still largely led in many arcas by forces who have so far forgotten to join the Social Democrats. offer isting ission ervice pay: the last one of these took over two years to report back!

Meanwhile the deadline by which the CPSA and other unions are committed to calling all out stoppages affecting DHSS benefits is looming ever closer.

It is the fear of this that drives the union leaders to cling so tightly to Thatcher's apron strings. Sooner or later however the reality must be faced: only all-out sustained strike action will defeat this Tory government.

Heslin Thatcher