14 Million set to follow FBI in payqueue BOREDOM RULES AT BOSSES TALK-IN

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LEISH NO An earlier Rank and File Conference in Birmingham militancy, carefully balanced speeches aimed at offending the least numbers of people and a selection of motions by the chair that avoided the main divisive issues.

The press-puzzled as to what its exact role was supposed to be-found the conference stupifyingly boring in bulk and accidentally hilarious in part.

The Financial Times correspondent noted that "skilful platform manoeuvring by Lord Watkinson, the CBI President, fended off a membership revolt".

Other reporters complained of "blandness" and lack of razamataz.

Not even the faces were all that different. Various employers and Tory spokesmen were spectators at the The Socialist Workers TUC in Blackpool and fitted in at one seaside resort as easily as at the other.

Reg Prentice-the Tory MP in whose defence half the Labour ministers once rallied, was present representing ITT, best known for its financing of actions against the Allende government in Chile.

The CBI urged moderation in pay increases, more collaboration with government and TUC (despite protests), a lower top rate of tax and stricter laws against strikes and pickets and in support of sackings.

But despite the feelings expressed from the floor the CBI refused to call for a ban on post entry closed shops or many other overt union bashing measures.

Their problem was realism. The government which has provided the CBI with the wage and job cutting policies its members require still has the name 'Labour' nailed to its mast.

The leadership of the TUC has also played its role.

All that was left to blame was the working class-not the best propaganda for what was supposed to be a showcase conference-with delegates noting that 'selfish' workers often seemed to be ignoring their own union officials.

Len Murray's sentiments exactly! • Indeed the 500,000 with claims already settled includes the 57,000 Ford workers who settled with 12% plus fringe benefitssubstantially in excess of the official norm.

And it is clear that thousands OT workers are holding back negotiations in the hopes of getting a better settlement. Normally by this time of year 17% of workers have settled their pay reviews, as against the present • But part of this delay is also deliberate manipulation by union Police harassment of the black community in South-East London shows no sign of letting up.

The latest major assault involved a raid of seven houses, from which 8 youth were thrust into waiting police vans.

Custody

bureaucrats are also doing everything in their power to isolate pay struggles as they emerge.

This underlies the deliberate stalling by NUPE and NUM leaders on pay claims affecting 1¼ million workers, while the 43,000 firemen are left to fight wage control alone.

The harsh reality every labour bureaucrat wishes to avoid is that if the firemen burst through the 10% barrier; another 14 million bitter and determined workers will be clamouring to follow.

And no blather about "spocial caseg" will stem that kind of pressure.

NOR FINEST Last week the younger son was "wanted".

On arrival at the police station he was told that it was "all a mistake".

Fortunately, he refused to be provoked into "offensive" behaviour, which would have given the cops the excuse they were doubtless looking for. Left-talking NUPE Assistant General Secretary Dix The need for community Lewisham.

*Release the arrested youths! *End bail condition for the "Lewisham 21"! "For a workers' enqi ury into police harassment of the black community!

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