Asims Reject Bullock
Socialist Press1977 1977-05-25Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 11 →
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On the first day of the ASTMS conference in Eastbourne last weekend, the delegates voted 12,000 to 8,000 against supporting the basic principles of the Bullock This is the report proposed by the majority of the committee including Clive Jenkins.
Motions calling for "workers control of industry" and opposing "worker directors" were carried, against the EC recommendation.
The NEC also lost the vote on the composition of the ASTMS delegation to the TUC-the number of lay members on the delegation is to be increased so they now in a majority.
The NEC recommendation on the motion on the rule book was aiso defeated. A working party is to be set up to consider changes in the rule book for the 1979 ADC. This will undermine the NEC who in the past have put all rule changes to the conference.
ELECTION
But the conference voted in line with NEC recommendation against the motion calling for a working party to look into the feasibility of electing full time officials. The arguments for this were along the lines of job security for full time officials which, if taken to its logical conclusion, is an arguemnt for appointing MPs for life.
In the economic policy debate there was no real alternative to the NEC line.. of "selective import controls" and "control of export capital" argued for along nationalist lines. Jenkins in fact said that the sale of the government's share in BP was an unpatriotic action.
Conference voted overwhelmingly for free collective bargaining but there was no call for action to implement it. The NEC is going to "campaign vigorously" IS obvious that the NEC will again follow the TUC line.
The principle of nationalisation was defeated by 13 votes because of the sectional interest of the insurance section and the general right wing attitude of the engineering foremen who make up the bulk of the conference.
The NEC of course has been challenged by most sections represented at the conference but no motion of reference back had been won.
The reference back on the NEC report on the Health service was defeated basically because the National Officer Reg Bird, made a persona: and political attack on one