Right to Work March

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While the TUC leadership were meeting in Brighton this month to put the seal of acceptance on an extension of the Social Contract, 500 highly publicised unemployed workers and youth marched from London to Brighton to demand the Right to Work.

In a period in which the fight against unemployment, . lacking leadership, has remained sporadic and localised, such a national mobilisation might have played an important role in taking the fight forward.

«RANK AND FILE"

But in the event the 500 marchers were led by the International Socialists (who, under the guise of their 'Rank and File' front, organised the march) into the blind alley of protest, publicity stunts and adventurism.

The IS leadership has travelled this road so many times before it knows no other direction. And each time they set off afresh they lead a different group of workers into eventual disillusionment and cynicism.

There is no doubt of course that the size of the march reflected the Willingness to fight which exists within the working class. Throughout the country young workersmany of whom have been without jobs for up to two years, are looking for direction in the against unemployment.

The IS provided them with no political direction, since it has none to offer.

So while TUC delegates were urged to "fight for the right to work" , they were given no indication of how this was to be done.

Indeed the main policy that did emerge from IS - the call for the 35-hour week - was so much a reformist demand that it was easily passed by the TUC, where right-wingers such as Jack Jones voted for it!

The other main demand is an overtime ban, under conditions where many workers, because of the refusal of the trade union leadership to defend living standards are working overtime to make up a living wage. This demand ends up blaming the working class.

On their arrival in Brighton to lobby the TUC Congress the marchers varied their chant with the demand for "the right to speak", Unfortunately, however, the IS has not shown itself too eager to allow the same right to other tendencies within the working class.

In stage-managing the march, the IS demanded that no political banners - not even Labour Party banners - should be carried, and no political literature sold (except that of the Right to Work Campaign).

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belore, in order to separate them from the labour movement.

This betrayal by the NUS must mber 19 KILLED NOIN NOI HEAUCRACY RAC LLS OUT PARTiCiPATiONI OUT Page S control and public spending cuts Io fight against them, we:

1) call on all NUR sponsored