Workers Socialist League

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

PRESS GANG Workers nate ORd

Socialist Press no. 97, 26 April 1978 · scan pp. 4–5 · Following Article · about 608 words

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ERRATUM: IN THE THE WORD 'WORKER" OR "WORKERS" HAS INADVERTENTLY BEEN USED WHEREVER THE WORD "SOLDIER/S" OR "SAILOR" OR "FORCES" SHOULD HAVE APPEARED READERS ARE ASKED TO MAKE THEIR OWN CORRECTION.

The Daily Telegraph has come out in complete opposition to the 10% limit and has launched a powerful campaign for a major increase of about 30% for all workers.

In the run up to this week's expected government announcement on workers' pay the Telegraph has shown how badly big increases have been needed.

Some weeks ago it reported that one senior worker had been forced to take up smoking to cure his hunger pangs.

Last week an unnamed group of workers in a statement to the Telegraph contessed that they had had enough. If something was not done to bring about a major improvement in their living Already senior workers were threatening to resign in droves.

Their superiors worried about lack of morale were fighting hard for big increases to be paid.

A charity called SSAFA (Workers, Workers and Workers Association) was reported in the paper as saying that 90% of problems in the working class had money as a root cause.

"The only way of achieving a cure must be an overall rise in the workers pay packet and even then it must be a substantial one.

"So many of our families are merely existing. We cannot talk of them cutting their cloth accordingly because they have NO cloth to cut.

"They exist from pay packet to pay packet and what happens when Michael needs new shoes? Something else must be done without."

"Reports reaching SSAFA from its welfare officers tell of children left alone while their mothers 'are out earning fre fond families living on tinned beans and potatoes all week and a pound of mince for Sunday dinner."

A group of women whose husbands worked at sea met the Prime Minister at Plymouth but Mrs. May, treasurer of their association said that he gave them little hope.

"The crucial point was their claim for a 10% increase plus a further 30% in the X factor which takes account of workers' special risks and conditions ..:

" A local headmaster had opened second hand overalls shop at his school, and some housewives had begun selling items of furniture. In at least two cases wives had been forced to turn to prostitution."

The Telegraph by this bold encouragement of the just demands of the workers, by their defence of the secrecy surrounding a senior ranking worker and by their support for workers who have advocated preparing for an armed struggle are believed to have more than a passing sumnath with the cause of

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The candidates are giving full backing to struggles against hospital closures T.G.W.U. KIBCH KILBURN WORKERS ARISE!

RUIN THE UNIONS THE POWER PHOTO: Andrew Wiard, Report OUR FIGHT IS YOUR SIGHT is of course not the case.

Last year for example. It the GLC election the local candidate was John Wilson. who had a public record oi opposition to Prentice and we had a swing towards Labour largely for that reason.

Of course on the GLC Wilson now supports Reg Goodwin's policy of avoiding all contact with workers whose jobs are under attack in the GLC itself where I work.

On top of that it's about the first time in fifteen years that Labour's been organised to fight an election in this ward-so there ground for optimism.

SP: How do you see the link between your trade union work and this campaign? JP: In three ways. Firstly. since I am NALGO branch chairman at the GLC, as completely linked to the fight

← Contents of Socialist Press no. 97, 26 April 1978