Split vote om sliding scale
Socialist Press1981 1981-07-02Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 8 →
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A resolution calling for wage claims to incorporate cost of living clauses to provide increases linked to inflation came within an ace of being carried for the second conference running.
The motion-from Cowley 5/293 Branch was moved by Alan Thornett and seconded by a delegate from Region 6.
Support was enthusiastic and a show of hands brought an even split in the conference before Stan Pemberton declared the motion lost.
This was a near repetition of the events of the 1979 Biennial Conference, at which a similar motion moved by Thornett appeared at first to secure a majority. Pemberton's attempts to declare the motion lost were countered by demands for tellers to be brought in to count the vote.
But as right wing hand raisers were chivvied out of bars and tea rooms the end result was that it was lost 348-437.
The policy. has clearly continued to gain ground since then in the TGWU as workers confronted by runaway inflation recognise the need for a policy to defend their living standards.
Rank and file trade unionists should continue to press for such cost-of-living clauses to be incorporated in plant-levet and combine claims in the coming pay round.
-The conference voted overwhelmingly to uphold its position of opposing all forms of wage controis.
While this does not herald any new willingness of the leadership to champion struggles against the employers or the government it does pose major problems for the Labour leaders in preparing a new "aocial intract":