Socialist Press / Socialist Organiser joint supplement (with no. 252)

SUPPORT THE

CIVIL SERVICE

Socialist Organiser BEFORE the 1979 gen- eral election, top Tories drew up list' of relatively weak and workers to be taken on and defeated. groups were singled out: steelworkers, Leyland, the rail unions and the civil servants. The idea, of course, was to move on to the big battalions - miners, dockers and so forth on the basis of victories over unese groups. Setback

STRIKERS

The militancy of rank file steelworkers ana took Thatcher by prise. But in BL things have gone very much according to and

TO N

employers everywhere have begun Michael copying • wardes' anti-union methods. But men are deteated. so far, very small numbers in As with BL, a defeat against exactly the same the complete isolation from for the civil Tory intransi- approach of sorvaris civil the of rest the trade massive gence that the civil wouldgive service union 'leaders' union movement. boost the Tories' servants have been the has kept struggle battering against for the attack on ettective trade isolated from other trade Vague unionism everywhere. last 16 weeks. unionists instead And it would be a hitting the docks and Hitting airports with an all-out Largely as a result of public sector workers. strike, and appealing to these many Already, the Tories have other workers for unionists do trade Clearly, it is in

CHOL

set a 5 per cent ceiling the the identify with the civil support the of next round interests of all went instead for select- struggle service public sector pay rises. that the Tories' strategy ive with high strongly as they should Nurses and ambulance for the public sector pay, involving There seems to be

SUKE

HOW TO WIN

by-Stephen Corbishley recommend all-out strike designed to, and cannot decisively strongly expect- hit nobe FOR OVER 15 weeks the the bosses, the bankers Iu lo ose me vore o leaders the thus have an escape route OI and the Tories. civil service unions have tor giving in. The strikes need to be argued that carefully But

CPSA

members backed up by mass pick selected strikes, with high 45,336 all-out The

COCSU

full

TOT

rates of strike pay, would action, 24,124 for escalat- council, at its meeting on defeat the Tories. ing selective action, and July 2nd, should pledge The key 33,744 for weapon giving in was to make any action decid- going to be the blockage other unions the votes ed by rank and tle mem of tax,

VAT,

and other 'all out', were weaker for bers official - and mobil- the but decisive against the revenueto •Govern- the ise striking Illllanl ment. And over £5 billion 7 per cent. The Inland offices for flying pickets.

has been blocked. Revenue Staff Federatión areas like Scotland But Thatcher voted 22,923 18,371 and the North, very high nas not given in. In desperation votes were registered for against al-out. But when the union lead- those who voted against natonal all-out action, ers made feeble attemp ts all-out action were polled in . the and step up the selective again •on escalation offices. action, and giving in, 17,328 voted for curtoined with escalation and only 3,199 Failure hand to the ong cap

1URC DOS

ing for a compromise of The Major Policy Com- 8 or 8½ per cent.

COCSU

mittee of More demonstrations The Tories said no. June, Thursday and publicity — especially LOTa voted to step up the selec- for claimants 'Unity' tive action. And the CPSA needed. sease shi unde under the COCSUs local guise went must be democratised, The CPSA leaders had along with it. made more accountable, already consulted their But militants and out towards the members through the prepare wider labour movement and build for all-out action annual May conference, and linked among them- and had been instructed It the leaders will selves. nOw. to immediately shut down not lead, then action must The first step towards the airports initiated by the rank links, with the na10na docks. and file. meeting of COCSUs The Council of Civil Manchester on June Service Unions (COCSU) Militant 6th, were very important.

refused. Instead they just The talure hold the brought the Depart- out agreed meeting on June ment of Health and Social We should call for the 20th was a setback. Security

(DHSS)

and selective action to close trom these Department of Employ- docks airports must be held meetings ment (DE) computer immediately. These weekły, thus providing the crucial areas: strikes centres. the basis for leading the And they consulted the driving DE/ rank and file despite the members DHSS benefit computer again. The dithering of the bureau- CPSA leaders agreed to centres, etc, are not Cial.

SOCIALIST

PRESS

'Forget the white collar, bowler hat image. They are as dedicated trade unionists as 'Do not be gulled by the media. They are fighting for the right to negot- a vague feeling, even among militants, that isn't 'proper strike and that civil servants are 'real' To this, WC need to stress that most

IP.CS

BRITISH (IBE

iate which was set up 25 years ago. The Govern- ment has not only taken that off them but also the right to arbitration? Emlyn Williams, President, South Wales Miners. civil servants are low paid workers. Two- thirds earn less than the average wage Clerical Assistants are £59 on between and £72.60 before tax. They are claiming a Civil Service Special 5p if sold separately 15 cent increase •per (with minimum £10) - hardly enough to keep up with inflation The Tories, after laterally tearing up the civil servants' pay com- parability agreement and refusing even to re lease the results of the , official offered . sludy nave seven per cent. The civil avelage con service pension trary to popular myth is only f29 a week And 37,000 civil service jobs have been slashec since May 1979 - with another 65,000 schedul- ed for the chop if the Tories have their way. And as for their right to be considered 'real trade unionists 45,000

CPSA

members votec for an indefinite strike (with pay) did 20,000 the other civil Ser vic Despite the coward ice and incompetence of the leadership, there is ano quot doout une guls and determination the rank and file. The civil service strike is the anti-Tory fight taking place at the moment. A victory for the civil service workers would be a massive blow to the whole anti-work ing class strategy of this Government. Pictures this page and page

TESSA HOWLAND (IFL

Dage 16, ANDRE

NIARD (REPOR

The power to cripple state power by John Lister

TOP

SECRET

radar tracking stations have beén forced to close. Monitor- ing stations vital to the Brit- intelligence services have been strike-bound. Lethal cargoes bound for nuclear submarines have been halted, and warships kept paralysed dock- al sides. NATO communica- tions and rehearsals for war in Kurope have been disrupted. Customs checks in British and Irish ports have been suspended. Flow The legal has system been dogged by the closure ot courts and the pile-up of paper work. And the flow oi cash to central govern- from taxation has litil dropped to a trickle. Many of these actions been have partial and temporary - carned out as part of a wave of militancy that has swept through the civil service unions. But the implications are wide- reaching. Many civil servants bemoan the fact that they had no industrial muscle to bring to bear against the Government. Yet the fact is that seldom betore has a group of workers had such capacity to take action strik.

ing right at the nerve cen- tres of the capitalist state machine. The extension of trade muo ce ourens- cracy of the state poses new Steelworkers picket in last year's strike 4312 questions not only for the Tories, the capitalist class, and the multary but elte, also lor the workers' move.

ment as a whole Who can doubt now that trade unionists have their power to control, dis- or halt some

TUOL

oI cne and most basic repressive aggressive activities of the state? They can interfere with war plans, block surveill- ance mechanisms, impede even nalt air ae set prevent the opera- uranuc. tion of immigration restric- tions and customs search- and strangle the gov- ernment economically. the potential inceer. power of the civil service unions is far greater than has been shown so lar. since the selective action that has been imposed has enabled the ahnee lottes and non-union members to focus their strike-break- ing efforts on particular operations. An all-out stoppage would pose far greater problems to the governmenl Six The determination of the Tories to uphold their six per cent public sector pav limit has alienated and of antagonised section re- workers untl recentiy garded as completely inte- oraled une suave apparatus. The state is no neutral boay, Impardally administ- ering to the needs of all. On 22DLg000 public services social the immigrant officials harass- contrary SLaLe rests first and formost on ing blacks, secunt, neann. ecucanon. social seculil airports and roads, post the conflict of spies harassing claimants, juteresus and telephones, etc. some between the ruling minority Special Branch spies services capitalist class and the ex- unese public files comping (r80€ have been won by working majority unionists, all play their role •loller wolct forms the working class. ciass surteee. au reneci in the preservation ot the the inability of pure capital- exploitation systell. which brings prosperity markel economies provide for society's basic the few and poverty to the But needs all are als( many. trimmed and adjusted to the Yet service capitalist control. unions have shown that this by call unuermne. Rule determined actions refusal Luneta. enforce

COR

OmCIR racist laws could under- The functions of the s'ate Alilt cover ment c bureaucracy dictated divide black are strategy Polaris submarine by the material and polit- workers from white ical requirements ot action by key Strike Seeking a capuansl class. workers in defence establ- through Parliament and low-wage workforce and could cripple administered by the samente scale expenditure Thatcher's reactionary war are no more than deluded public services, for UIVe pipe-dreams. stance, the have _iOnes Marx, Engels and Lenin Now tnev retrace union. chosen to spend on unem- all stressed that there is ists.. civil servants in Join pioyment benetit and social no way in which the exploit- Brixton. security rather than crea- majority simply ting jobs through Central to the state is the take the state

OLO-

over and grammes of useful public necessity for the defence of wield thei own works. the private property The more that civil serv- advantaged. History in •I CDe Some sections of capital- capitalists against the de- ants that they particular the Chilean cata- ișts and most Labour poli- mands of the working class too, Ike other trade union has ShOone ticians would prefer a diff- The exploited two inseparable bases ists, and proved them right. of this defence are the oper- oppressed by the ertil suavegy - •\ Wen state state would levy ation of a judicial system of machinery which they oper- increased taxes and use law based on private prop- ate, the greater the chan- State revenue to create and erty the repressive ces that thev wil see the additional jobs and thus powers allocated to special need to join with the work- defuse the mounting anger bodies of armed men ing class in the struggle to over unemployment. police and armei forces overthrow the existing Only mass action by the But in either case the To staff, supply and fin- system. working can over- state acts as the instru- ance these, a state bureau- thousands of civil throw capitalist exploita- rule, cracy is required to servants know from their Caooet levy tion. The basis of the capit- and its repression is aimed taxes and alist state machine must be aom nister own experlence now much at those challenge day-to-day operations the state machine is tied to smashed Wild the of the Lus rule various the existence of capitalism and the police dis- The police on the streets Visions of simply moving banded and by «overnmenl replaced of Brixton, the The state from capitalism to socialism bureaucracy

LOONS

workers streets of Belfast, ThA also administers a range of through reforms legislated basis of a workers' state.

THE PICKETS MUST FLY

By Simon Temple tee succeeded in virtually factorirk erd mobise leil workers local STRIKES have to sealing off the town, while won • be the actively. Warringtor support vouusl wal. Comatee out, go home and hope for got national publicity as a A intam obe mine isr the you'll probably result of its careful vetting Birmingham muele lose of the issue lought for several davo te catalotu certificates. The bosses have every Issued stop cowboy drivers taking chance to get at you as in- movement of loads out, and didn't quite alo× Loe dividuals up medical supplies.) succeed until local trans- But where the full time and convince you that there port and engineering work.

officials got control of the ers struck for the day and Is no poss billy or winning while the union committees there several thousands marchec bureau- were free crats get For instance, hand to down to join in drivers The police and the scabs Ix up a sel-out olckelta tnelad bury's chocolate factory ex theee bin the lente in knew they beaten, were of experience in Birmingham were and the depo sul bles slayed snut when the for the rest of the strike.

len vems oinow to wan VInOo

TOLO

It was obvious from the them to go away because the lorry they were ned seppe hey keept 1979 vital The key to that victory drivers' strike that picket was that the sạw miners the picket on anyway.) depots what they had to do to win 10 ei the transport *Theing and then went out and did The much drivers won They be retulaar though bound by the Heath coula simon suo -contrac toere weren t gov- work to owner-drivers enough of them to go round ernment's Industrial Relat- and scab firms, hold the thousands of places s that and 100s Acl or loe Turor 9oo1 needed When red ein determin- 'mob rule' Other workers v mure vr less moennice factories, saw that they were serious so tne ware Scoos lmeslo houses, docks ed to cross the line, they and railway avoul wunne wer suake. the usually couldn't be stopped and supported them varus laat clavers normally loaded out of and back the Likewise when the South- delivered to were picketed miners were able to mobil.

ampton dockers were lock thousands oi flyins in caen area. surike commit• tees were set up to run the pickets during their strike out and picketed the with delegates from them ports as Hul away each TGWU road transport and through places where coal wa. IelaLuwe, branch in the district. suu move ney look uat voca toer work was bewa The Hull strike commit trouble to explain their case diverted. They took no not- Private ownership of the banks, major trusts . and industries must be replaced by nationalisation without compensation, under work- ers And a Indiasemen: new system of law appropr.

iate to these property rela.

tions must be established The majority must assert its rule over the old minor- Ity oi exploiters And in the drawing-up o workers and expand the productive forces left languishing class She atheen experts from service aresen must be enlisted alongside rank and trade unionists. Only then can the appar- atus of the state - a work.

state become Lustrumen cenlme y oner ating for the benefit of th mass of the Civil bevole must play their Ceraarc role in this fight. ice of the laws against 'sec.

ondary picketing apportere able to get the support and

TUNET

quickly were intated The Civil Servants should be in a really good position to put the on the screws government if the lessons of the past ten years are learned While picketing city centre offices is obiously worthwhile, it shouldn't be The oriollb nacea o ni sre me oa that affect the economy of the country Large-scale picketing of docks, airports, inland con- depots and the like would have the soon government crawling for a settlement. isn't enough to But smal leave it up to the number of customs and ai traffic control staff to picket . There are their workplaces not enough stanl What it needs is workers from with 8 such a large membership the DE and DHSS, to join in

The unemployed

ORGANISING

working hand i The TUC, glove Brianne snoo Services dim is bid has succeeded Newca be its the Un- employea workers centre The Cented by she Pity 1978, financed by the Council fund Urban and the MSC. was the inspiration behind the TUC's plan to set up a un- national employed centres. the activists However, (mainlv trades counci del- egates) behind the New- diFferen idea road the TU centre had centre and how it should be They wanted an organis- ation controlled by rank and file trade unionists and the themselves, unemployed with the emphasis on cam- ¿paigning leafleting dole work- ers in struggle, demanding free public transport for he unemployed, and so on.

They also worked close- ly with the local Unemploy- ed Workers' Union Last January he New- called a con- able conte discuss estab- ателье ко federat- Conaren ce that a TUC representative sturned guidelines ' for the centres The guidelines were not for discussion they up fait accompli were trom the TUC Organisation Dep- artment. The Guidelines effective- ly rule out any campaining activity. They limit the ob- ectives of the centres to UWU aims THE Statement of Aims proposed by the Unemployed Workers' Union states: "The method of production can only offer the working class one another, and

ATTAT

never any long-term gains in their to be replaced by a planned economy, under bie contol of the working to for the produce needs of the Sthe profit of the minority The UWU, it says, will help the unemployed with any pegarding their bene may Stits, We alac campaign for facilities be opened to the unemploy.

We reject all propos- sed. sals that the unemployed should do vulue car WOrL return for their dole that 'We demand all the unemployed have jobs with wages ai Trade Union Temporary working schemes are being cynically asea as a means or cheap labour for the employers We demand guch schemes under strict control of the Trade Union counselling and advice, op- The crunch came at the and were clearly training end of April. behalf of the portunices

TOT

chanreling Newcastle Trades Cour- 'So we've had to tempor- assistance to tribunals, ed- cil arily letter trom Intel ucational classes, and pro- their demands. the MN to a 1h0m 409 accept unless the

TUC

Guide- had to We've agree to MSC's programmes. lines were adhered to their manesen corone. Firm rules for the make- funds would be cut off from tee, including four council- 01 a May. In particular, the lors, the contre b someone from

MSC

also objected the Commoe Careers Advice Service. laid down: half from centre's with che representative, and

TUC

Regional Council and someone from the Regional UWU, and demandea no half from the local Author.

further physical contact

TUC.

ity. 'Representatives of the with the Unemployed 'And we've had to cut off l' have no vot- unemployed Workers' Inion' all formal links with the One of the leading New-

UWU.

mg Iga8 We even have to ex. The document also inc- castle activiststold us: 'We from our new cure tien ludes the following menac- premises. How we'll be let vended tide dad *Should ing Dassage: been campaign able to work as a campaign. organisation don't establish a January conference. management committee been The lessons of Newcastle equal fight between us and be taken to Conce heart by the given that they all those who want to build any way that damages the control the purse fighting movement interests of the unemployed union move- or the trade ment or could put at risk TUC straitjacket the funding of centres, ional Council concerned inform

TUC

and appreNewcastle Confer Newcastle split ence between «a march as a conungeni those who wanted a con- 'People's on the Cardiff demonstra- against March' tion on July 4th, campa go the ruildelines and those demonstrations are plann- step te campayu golng - ho favoured attempting t but it will remain firmly ed in most major towns the male van cocon under Newcastle Trades Coun- control. through. voted The major proposal All these initiatives must Guidelines as conceived for "Youth Festival for be supported, but we must Sheel Jobs' combined with that ensure they away from a confrontation aren lobby used by the TUC to channel the

TUC

the UVaL November. will also the There anger o1 Meanwhile, the Now- be a ployed into a futile round of Lento cente centre from Leeds to Blackpool, to protests, divorced from the continued lobby the Tory conference.

with its campaiming activ- fight against closures and and maintained its The marchers are being redundancies. Ide8, link with the Unemployed encouraged to turn The national 'Coordina- Workers' Union. their. 'uniforms' ting Committee' and the

THE

PEOPLE'S

March A union for Jobs fired the enthus- iasm of workers and un- employed, especially those who lined the routes for the of the March or joined it when it passed through their towns. But now the TUC and unemployed its unemployment centres offer no prospect of a real fight against unemploy- Before the March many The unemployed action trades cemncis and trade employed ever that if we're going to

JOCA

groups and unions were get more than cups up. One these prepared to tea and from SeT 'unions were sympathy in Leicester, has the TUC centres, then an unions, try and negotiate within decided to carry on the the guidelines. The un- independent National Unemployed initiative set in motion by employed and the organ- Workers' the unemployed workers' isers of the conference Union is needed. centre Newcastle wanted The NUWU will aim to more mdepend January this year, and to ence. They also decided unite the employed with that a recall conference the unemployed to active- cal a nana cone ence of Unemployed Workers' was needed to discuss the ly campaign against un- Unions, to take place at original tasks of the employment alle Polytechnic Leicester support those Colicicuce. workers Students' Union on June taking direct acuon LO 27th. Leicester was chosen save jobs. Pam because of its geograph- secre- A major aim the union will be to campaign tary ical location and because UWU, told us: the Leicester for all trade delegates unions 66 The Newcastle had won respect at the accept the unemployed con- into their conference terence was orioinal. because and called to discuss their contributions have dual membership of the

NUWU

the problems the need for independent organ- and the OT ising the unemployed, but appropriate trade union. viganisallulls. The People's An Unemployed dominated by Work- became discussion of TUC guide- and the ers' Union is needed be- experience Leicester UWU members lines for cause some sections of the unemployed workers' on the Eastern Leg of that unemployed This be

COLOS

effectively split the march especially, taken the con- have into present structures cants wem olo men

TUC

want centres to be tightly con. trolled, limited to recreat- on due we me dame: and, at most, 'respectable' pressure politics. And they'll make sure their wighes are obeved unless we organise an all.

national out, campaign and for democratic rank and file control of the Most importantly any

MSC

money from the or local authorities must be on 'no strings If this •rovesuncossoe. chen che labour movement

JOCA

must organise and raise the hereosary mance used. local support committees must be made accountable to the rank and file of the labour movement lat the moment they are appointed by the Regional TUCs] and mOBl campaign must be thrown behind struggles Ike Lee Jeans and Rover SD1. West Midlands, the for 'instance, rank and we marchers are pressing to maximum support for the 'Save Rover SD1' HarC called by the BL Combine Committee for August 15th in Birmingham. c.g. only sone keep members on their books for twelve months after they have been made redundant. At the conterence, amendments will be taken main resolution drafted by us, the 'State. ment of Aims', and the Draft Standing Orders, already circulated to over one hundred groups and to contacts made on the People's March. We've also allocated plenty of time for discuss- ion on the fight to demo- the

TUC

unem- Crance ployed and how Coules. the UWU relates to the task of organising, YOPs schemes and jobless youth To help link the UWU with employed workers' fights jobs, speakers British Leyland and from Ansells (the latest victims trade-union sell-outs of rank and file action to defend jobs) and from the National Union of Mine- workers will be speaking in the afternoon session.

Over have groups be send- replied and will ing delegates All indica- tions are that this will be the take-off point for the building mass national unemployed

SUPPORTING

THE STRIKE

The millions of claimants are some of the most important allies the civil servants can win by explaining na nis pay batte is part o the fight for decent wages for all workers, and closely linked to the fight for jobs and for public services. But the civil service unions' leadership has not tried to make any link with claimants STEPHEN CORBISHLEY reviews the issues THE chaos that looked like- managers to agree to union And terms. the civil union leaders decided to claimants are often getting close down the big benefit They computer centres has been because anen one work issuing benefit earlier with less vetting ot has done and without having to sigi giros manually in local othces This does not It seems a strange way of action any less ill-conceived running mee pull one the principle should be members funds on giving them 85% strike hit the Tories, the bosses pay, and then and the bankers, while con- instruct an. other group of members to but services wo cue so. cover the strikers' work pensioners unemployed The idea was to promote etc. And the present means of continuing those service administrative chaos as 8 way of putting pressure on cumbersome Thatcher by the managers The Left in DHSS and DE Civil emmon and on workers sence stupid. the employment Benefit We will not get employed. COSed Wines that if we show that we see do giros manually. In our struggle narrow there was a one-day strike traae union terms - us in On Friday 19th, the Scot- flicting as much trouble as tish strikers agreed to we can on the rest of society operate the manual system in general unti • we ger our • they By fighting for on tnell own terms - aemands would do the giros, and re- workers themselves to de gister new cide hov uncloved but nothing else. (And this certain services was on condition manage- in the context of an all-out ment withdrew suspension strike, we for a united struggle of all In many local offices, the sections working workers class, against the Tories.

have forced the

MAY 8I

POOL: LONDON

National conference

WEVE HAD THE MARCH-NOW

LET'S ORGANISE!

Organised by Leicester Unemployed Workers Union SATURDAY 27 JUNE 10.30-5.00pm Leicester Polytechnic Students Union Sessions on Organising the Unemployed and The Fight for Jobs Accommodation available on the Friday and Saturday night Social events on both nights Further details 52 Wyville Row, Leicester or phone 0533 857828

CPSA leaders cop out The need for a new leadership

CPSA

•lemma "he recent con- was the wrong result The consultative exercise voting had fairly obviously weLL follows: a manoeuvrt For all out strike act- a return to work vote ion, 45,336. worst a close resuil For escalating select- on a low poll, that could then be discounted. ive action, 24,124. accepting the offer, 33.744

ALL-OUT

Over 60% of the mem- bership voted. therefore This There was mucn nad been quite clear obvious from contribut- majority CPSA to go for all- ions made several and a out strike, neglig right wingers during the ible vote for giving in. NEC debate on whether to For most of the right hold a cise in the first place. wing on tae execauve tis

AGAINS

THE CUTS

ed to the membership y Ted Eames merely as fuel tor moral indignation. The whole THE national leaders in union campaign have bureaucracy was to keep hown complete mix- the question of pay separ- ure of incompetence and ate from the other big aivety", declared one issues attecting civil serv- ank and file union mem- iced workers, issues such Oxford lan cuts, tech- fice line last nology, and victimisa- (More than that", add. tions. The effect was to allow tearing toel us ve "they have another, political onslaught and the reeded is momentum while not succeeded union leaders were desp- at Thatcher won't give erately trying to turn the em room to do it"'. by clock back deploring It scarcely be WOWe the 'intrusion of politics ossible to make a clear- into civil service industrial assessment of the lead- relations. ship's role from the day They even complained October when the publicly that Thatcher bries broke civil the acting just the Was as pay agreement Trotskyists in the unions the day last week when said she would, and that e consultation wind ede totally mishandled' ner tactics were playing into the hands of the embership whether on 'reds' go for an all-out strike.

This failure to under- Fuel of the Ine hialulc Tory government was the fundamental failing from The problem of leade which sprang a series of ip can be traced back to tactical mistakes both • the com- before and after the ete failure of the Coun- campaign began of Civil Service Unions March 9th. UCSU) to achieve even decision by the • ne minimal political under- leadership stick by anding Tory their the PRU and ignore the ponents. fact that it was a corpse This was apparent right one such blunder. Was mihe outset, when the They were able to hold rapping of the Pay Re- onto this position in the arch Unit was present- CPSA only by the narrow. the On being challenged, "the Fortunately for other eight her ruling was upheld by right wing. unions on COCsU came to 1 votes or •Len Lever their rescue, as every one the only 'independent' on of them rejected the call the NEC voting with the This Broad Left.)

TOT

allowed the vice- in side Presidents sley

UNREAL

the President's ab- Sence!

LU T

MAKE

forbidding any discussion The debate which fol-

CPSA

this ot lowed from going done with all-out action ruling therefore took on a Her reason for this was quite unreal air that this was a COCSU spite of the large majority campaign and members of members in favour of voted for an all-out

NEC

all-out the Dillac. strike of all civil servants, were not allowed to dis- not just CPSA members! cuss such action except in Help to change the Labour Party

THE

Tories have cut loyer, able to choose the 37,000 civil service jobs time and place for battle.

65,000 and industrial action CUl more. There will be even linked must clearly harsher cuts if the Tories with political action. win the present struggle The fight for Labour de- over wages. mocracy is all about gett.

But the didn't cuts ing a government commit. The prev- to the labour ious Labour government ment's policies and will- blazed the way. ing and able to carry them How can civil service about making sure workers make the conference decisions the next Labour govern- better public services does not continue not just pious soft soap the cuts? How can they but binding commit- avoid the cuts struggle ments for a future Labour becoming just one i0ng backed government, up fighting retreat in face of by mechanisms of accoun- aggressive governments? tability which have real Paper promises from teeth.

LULUGLUES

like Denis Healey That's why the civil ser- mean nothing. vice unions should be Strong industrial action affiliating Party and throwing their is vital. Dul oy Isen 1l Is not enough: the state is a weight behind the fight strong, centralised for democracy. est of maroins Most crucially the right addition, the claim wing assumed that a more of 15% with a £10 under- intensive version of the had only tactics that had been used pinning just been launched when Kate against the Labour ernment in 1979 would be Losinska, right-wing pres- ident of CPSA and chair- sufficient against Thatch- of the

COCSU.

er in 1981.

OCTOR

went on TV to reveal that However, selective act- the union leaders might Ion against a Labour gov willing to accept an ernment reeling from the offer working ass in 1909, and in the region wages offensive the 9 per cent. an election immin- Fetish ent, is very ditterent trom selective against action determination and On the surface one confident class prog- strength the ramme of a Tory govern leadership's approach nent not half way throug!

was to arrange its term of office. precedented unity bet- Despite this the union ween the nine civil service leaders maintain a des- unions on the pay camp- perate adherence to the aign. Inis was desirabie selective action policy, for obvious reasons, but right into the 12th week.

it soon became clear thal The CPSA leadership, for the bureaucrats had creat- instance, went into the ed a fetish of unity, and union's Annual Confer- that the problems ence without even a rec- herent .in ommendation of any kind maintaining with management on the pay campaign. Vility and ultra- result of the associaluns mauline moderate groupings were they took there. and the being ignored continued unwingness So Tories to up wren ine Ires in. the sisted that members 7% offer by even a half per cent, the CPSA lurch- snould ve given the opt- ion of voting to continue ed to a position of recom strikes in the selecuve mending all-out consultation process on an with just one member- all-out strike, the CDCSO ship circular to argue the went along with them, for after weeks of position, the sake of unity, ironic- official propaganda had ally producing waves of boosted the merits of the confusion and disillusion selective action in the rank and file. At the same time, es- context of bringing out all COCSU unions the Nt were not even allowed to discuss a mot- for a deferr- calling 1on ment pending discuss- Turiner ions witn tne oner unlons

CPSA

members shown clearly were ines issue of fur- stand on the thering the fight on pay.

PACK UP

They want all-out strike action. absurd to argue

DEGLINE

AFFECTS

YOU

VELIC

UPE

supports Labours Monifesto Heale? Does NUPE workers fight to hold Labour to their promises Ken Thomas calation of the campaign was presented as an opt- ion, with of acceptance the 7% as a third possibil- ity. This done was spite the fact that the levy 85% pay was known to be in dire trouble, and that it would have to be increas- ed eight-fold This resulted in the contusion which lead to a strong 'all-out' vote being weakened by sub- stantial vote for CalleDt- ance, and about a third voting tor the unrealistic continuation of the select- 1ve action policv In addition to these points other more sinister manoeuvres have been carried out by the likes of Alistair Graham, would- be heir-apparent to CPSA General Secretary Ken Thomas. Graham saw the in- the conference agenda from them pointing the forward and in fact way they opposed every single motion from coming branches that called any stepping up of action.

that CPSA members were would come saying they

EXERT

did If that was the Last to win this It we are as we ack up now doesn't take CPSA memb campaign, the ers will have.to exert the FDA or AIT or even IPCS maximum pressure poss are not going to go down ible. he result of the bal.

that line lot was a good one but it will waslee

NEC

The right wing merely left up to the NEC have been completelv out to make ine decisions of their depth throughout members The ordinary dispute whole CPSA Annual Conference up and down the countr will have to lead by ex- • this year they failed to ample. It will be the only kind of lead. all way to win this campaign

NUPE SA

WHAT

INUPE

PRICE

SUPPORTS THE

SOCIAL

LABOURMINFESTO

CONTRACT

NOW?

HEALEY?-

volvement of the DHSS/ regional pay, merit pay- DE section in the escal- ated action This is also why the as an opport- victorv won at CPSA con unity lo isolate are witen.

hunt the Broad Left lead- ference on the election of ership in these sections.

senor tal-time orcials Is This is why the breakthrough whole such question of the leadership fight to establish a Ine democratic and is so central, and why the account- lessons must be drawn at able leadership. The con- ditions for overthrowing each stage. If it were only a quest- the present leaders in the ion of the 1981 pay award main civil service unions would are clearly ripening. mortall But at stake enough. The membership is this campaien is also the rapidly learning that only future mechanism of pay and politically strong dealing, the fight against well armed leadership is the cuts, the battle capable of defeating over the new technology, resisting Tories, and that only soc victimisation arising out : policies can defend 12t1C1 ot the strike, and a whole our living standards and list of Tory proposals like win improvements. Published jointly by Socialist Organiser and Socialist Press. For more details, contact: SOCIALIST PRESS, BM Box 5277, London WC1N 3XX. SOCIALIST ORGANISER, 214 Sickert Court, London N1 2SY. Printed by East End Offset (TU).