Day of Diversion

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The April 20 'day of action was called by the Stalinistcontrolled Liaison Committee for the Defence of Trade Unions and the Leyland Stewards Conference to divert away from struggles now taking place against Phase 2.

The Communist Party wanted to put forward an alternative policy to those who want to fight the Social Contract. Their line is trying to put pressure on the TUC leaders not to accept Phase 3.

The Communist Party had turned the day from a one-day strike call to simply a "day of action" . This meant that less than 50,000 workers were actually involved in any form of industrial action.

The organisers also organised demonstrations in various parts of the country, none of which was very big. In fact the demonstration in London could only be called a flop, with only 2,000, motor and engineering workers, with AUEW banners predominating, marching almost silently.

SINGLE SLOGAN

In the march itself the only slogan put forward by the CP and others was "Social Contract Out"

The call for support for Port Talbot and Heathrow workers was only put forward by the WSL and the IMG. The IMG, however, contented themselves with saying "Smash the Social Contract" and the necessity for strike action against Phase 2 and in support of the Airport and Port Talbot workers.

No sound was audible from the 2 WRP members holding an ATUA banner.

About 150 people attended the SWP public meeting which exhibited the completely antipolitical stand of the SWP. The only person to even mention the government was Jack Sheldon, a Labour Party member and toolroom steward who seemed proud of the fact that he had chaired the meeting at which the toolroom workers in Birmingham Two days before the trial of had returned to work.

He didn't attack the toolroom leadership once and of course didn't mention the offer of strike action by the toolroom committee support of the airport strikers which has now been dropped.

NO BLACKING CALL The docks steward, Eddie Prevost, longtime IS and SWP member never once mentioned the need to have imported blackieg SANEL CHINALS CARINGTO CRAFT SHOP STEWARDS COMMITTEE UNITY steel blacked on the docks.

lan Morris, the airport steward, far from putting forward a position of leadership said that even if they didn't win the money he thought that they could get a guarantee from the management that they would pay a shift pay increase as soon as the Social Contract finished.

The meeting was wound up by John Deason who showed the SWP tail-ending the CP, which been criticised from berinas usual had not Part of the April 20 London demonstration ning to end. He said "Jack Jones is beginning to hedge his bets. Maybe we won't have a Phase 3"

So the day ended on the note it started with-confusion sown by the Communist Partý and their hangers-on.