[manition) hand in Grunwick TUC lobbyers While the…]
Socialist Press1978 1978-01-04Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 4 →
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manition) hand in Grunwick TUC lobbyers While the coalition government's honours list includes the usual gifts to police chiefs and to supervisors of the imperjalist occupation Northern Ireland, the most glittering accolade was reserved for TGWU leader Jack Jones.
This fact pinpoints the central feature of a year in which the police role of trade union bureaucrats at local and national level has been crucial to the survival of the ¡Lib-Lab government anú its wage-cutting programme.
Only • through such "leaders" could Callaghan hope to restrain a working class that continues to show fits willingness to fight.
Increase Indeed even as unemployiment rose to new record ¡levels, and TUC leaders joined the government's efforts to hold down wages, the year saw an increase in union membership-including new Lanionisation in the public i services and catering.
Throughout the year unionisation strikes were in progress.
The marathon Grunwicks battle, the six-month strikes for unionisation against Trust Houses Forte and other motels, and the Desoutter recognition strike.
Victories
Though the THF battles were lost and the Grunwick strike continues. there were victories as well. in spite of the union bureaucracy: every level the Social Contract has certainly meant more than wage control-it means an end to confrontation with the employer on all fronts.
raged on from the wave le strikes in the New Year, to the BLMC toolroom strike that brought the downfall of the Labour government, through the Heathrow strike, the Port Talbot electricians, the Lucas toolroom workers, the power workers and now the firemen.
PHOTO: Andrew Wlard, Report The same wages militancy was reflected in the summer union conferences which made formal acceptance of Phase 3 by the TUC impossible.
But while union leaders were unable to deliver Phase 3 openly, they set out to wheel it through the back door.
The 12-month rule was manoeuvred through the TUC to isolate and weaken any section that fought Healey's 10% limit.
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HUNGE SIRIKE