Workers Socialist League

Socialist Press, Trotskyism Today and the Trotskyist International Liaison Committee, 1975–1984

Our Members Contract

Socialist Press no. 59, 27 April 1977 · scan p. 5 · Tax Cuts · about 446 words

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pay is deducted in tax. in gross pay.

(And for every month of Phase 2 that passes this figure would have to go up; by July it would be well over 20%.)

This would do no more than cover the cut in real take home pay plus the effect of the income tax system.

But that is only an averagemany workers especially the low paid and some skilled workers would need a good deal more than this just to get back to positions already reached.

INADEQUATE

But, in any case, for millions of workers, even the highest levels reached before the Social Contract were pitifully inadequate.

To provide all workers with even a decent basic living standard it is necessary also to put in large additional claims for the lower paid.

These wages would then have to be fully protected from being whittled away by new inflation.

And that means a demand for a sliding scale of wages which would make wages inflation-proof and tax proof.

A sliding scale means that any further rise in prices (as monitored not by the state statisticians but by elected committees of trade unionists and working class housewives) must be immediately and automatically compensated by wage increases which are sufficient PHOTO: Andrew Wiard (Report)

Callaghan - proposed limit 10% "knew the political makeup of the meeting" , then refused to let any member of the WSL speak.

After having refused to allow a special trades council meeting held also to offset the effect of increases in the rate of income tax, and national insurance deductions.

Against even these demands the capitalists flinch in horror.

5% next year, they say, is all "the country" (that is, their vampire-like thirst for profits) can afford.

That is why the wage struggle which is now imperative, and which is held back only by the class collaboration of the Labour government (now in coalition with the Liberals) and trade union leaders, must be ready to turn itsell into an all out fight against the capitalist system.

THE BOOKS The books of the bosses must be opened. Those that can afford to pay a decent wage must be forced to do so.

Those that can't must be nationalised without a penny o i compensation and managed unde r workers' control.

Power was able to force through the vote and claim that the document had been accepted by the meeting.

Meanwhile, teachers in the area on the whole were not mobilised for the meeting because it was held in the school holidays.

They are to be balloted following branch resolutions demanding the SUT Executive organise strike action if temporary contracts are not renered by the

← Contents of Socialist Press no. 59, 27 April 1977