July 18: debate on policies to figh: Tories

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Pergamon YA mass picket called last Monday in suppor of the 9 NUJ members sacked by Rober Maxwell's Pergamon Press for taking strike action 15 weeks ago drew wide support from the Among the banners displayed by over 8/ pickets were those of the FBU, AUEW-TASS CPSU, all Oxford NUJ chapels, Oxford Cit Labour Party and NÚJ members at Maxwell' NGA members came under particutar pressur as they crossed the picket line. Action by thei union would, force Maxwell to reinstate thi strikets and negotiate with the NUJ chapel..

Another mass picket has been called for Leading trade union members of the Communist - Party-including Mick McGahey, Ken Gill, and Kevin Halpin of the old Stalinist 'front' body the Liaison Committee for Defence of Trade Unions-have lent their support to the July 18 Conference called by the Labour: Coordinating Committee.

Billed as a conference on "Trade Unions and Socialism", , it is the LCC's attempt to capitalise on the current mobilised in the unions around Tony Benn's candidacy in the Labour Party and to secure an industrial base.

For the CP it is a despairing attempt to clutch onto the leftward-moving currents in the unions who bare natic ised at Letd nave Haramansca ent formations and exposed many veteran CPers as open allies of the right wing.

The conference sets itself the task of building a mass movement able to take on and reverse, ultimately driving • from office, the Tories."

We are in favour of building such a movement and keen to debate with the new forces attracted towards this initiative-though we remain sceptical of the LCC's abilities to lead the movement and hostile to its much-vaunted alternative economic strategy"

We urge readers who do so to attend the conference-at Central Hall, Westminster-as delegates, and to fight against the LCC policies of import controls, expansion of the National Enterprise Board and planning agreements.

Instead talk in recent LCC. literature of occupations and strike action to combat cuts and closures must be developed into an explicit policy and a basis for mass action.

Credentials (£2.50) are available (3 per trade union or Labour Party body, 10 per regional or national body) from the LCC (Trade Union Conference), 9 Poland Street, London W1.

Strong picket loçal labour movement.

recent acquisition, BPC.

Monday 20 July._