Nuj Pull Back from Jobs Fight

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Fi Hail journalists picketing Westminster Pross manar Between the frequent interruptions of the Colonel B affair, the National Union of Journalists annual conference at Whitley Bay took a number of crucial decisions on jobs, pay and the independence of the union.

But the policy which has been adopted for union members facing the introduction c: new technology has left a gaping hole for opportunists cooperate in massive redundancies.

Although the union has taken a position against members operating direct put machines, it has accepted that when NGA eaders sell their members' is. NUJ members will be lowed to take them over.

.: = a decision which is b.-: to hasten the drive of E: impioyers to massacre all *..ins. including journalists • ..: sophisticated equip-i recomes available.

: substitutes a policy of = =its dog for a principled * == of jobs. An amendE÷.: from Ayreshire C-mening up the policy was *-: aly defeated.

÷ =otion in the name of I xord branch calling for :: sharing on full pay and :. control of producic: *as defeated after the E: spoke strongly against L:: attracted the support of b: one third of the s.=ence.

Living standards

the same attention şent on publicising reluctant Colonel Johnstone could have been focused on the need to regain and defend living standards, the employers would be facing next year's wage negotiations with a little less confidence.

Confused

The union committed itself, almost without dissent, to a return to free collective bargaining-but rejected by about five to one a call for a sliding scale of wages, workers and housewives committees to monitor prices and a claim to restore the living standards to 1974 levels.

The dominant left force in the union-the SWP-voted against an Oxford amendment backing the sliding scale of wages and condemning the TUC for not supporting the firemen.

But they remained confused: suine supporters of arma ed a management the SWPs "rank and file" organisation Journalists Charter had been drawn towards the sliding scale amendment and a special publication of their paper, Charter, hedged over support for the motion.

The union is now left with the kind of motion that a diligent General Secretary and a motion from the TUC will be able to translate back into support for 'advisory guidelines' or whatever formula will eventually emerge.

The Whitley Bay conference was forced to recognise the pressure on wages by authorising strikes in two of the biggest sections of the regional newspapersThomson, where journalists on one paper were sacked for operating a work to rule and Westminster Press, where five papers have still been denied the 1978 national pay award. The strength of the membership was demonstrated in a whole host of motions around the structure of the union.

Right wing attacks, suggesting a merger with the scab "union" the IOJ, and a move towards elitism by merging with 'creative' workers were heavily By an overwhelming majority, the delegate conference condemned two right wingers who had taken the union to court after the executive paid fines for people arrested at Grunwick and Darlington.

SWP members were claiming that the conference had had happened was that Press in their pay dispute Journalists Charter had weakened its hold on the lett.

Fringe meetings, well

attended by delegates, demonstrated why. When Bernard La Roche, a print union FoC, put forward a mixture of left talk and straight right wing policies over redundancies and new technology, Charter members refused to raise a word of criticism.

Alan Thornett, victimised

Cowley deputy convenor, spoke to another fringe meeting on witch hunts in the press, basing his approach on the impossibility of capitalist papers representing any other interest than capital.

It came as a sharp blow to supporters who were arguing that the difference lay between 'good' and "bad" journalists.

AH, O'FISHALL, ABOUT THOSE 8,000 REDUNDN I TAKE A CRUMB OF COMFORT FROM THIS... YOU DRIVE A HARD BARGAIN, O'FISHALL. NOW GO AND TELL THE 6,000 THEY'RE FIRED!!!

CANDI

ings.

John Power, convenor of the British Leyland Spare Parts division Cowley, and President of the Oxford Trades Council remains victimised by management.

Power was sacked two weeks ago following allegations of irregularities over expenses for National Joint Negotiating Committee meetOn Monday of last Power himself urged a mass meeting of workers from the spares factory to continue working normally "until the matter is sorted out".

A few days earlier management had reinstated him-at a meeting attended by AUEW Midlands Executive Council member Terry • Duffy-and placed him on suspension with full pay.

He remains suspended until Friday 28 April when a further meeting will be held at which the management will present the results of further investigations they have made.

The very timing of the meeting-just before a Bank Holiday, and on a qualifying day for holiday pay-shows that management intend to proceed with the sacking, and hope to avoid strike action.

Although having profound disagreements with John Power, in particular over his witch-hunting of the Cowley 9, Socialist Press regards the attack on him as a part of the Edwardes plan to gain control of the Leyland plants and destroy gains made by militant struggles in the past.

For this reason Power must be defended.

It is a serious error to allow him to remain outside the plant, suspended on full pay.

This is the device used time and again by employers to strip victimised workers of support.

If Power is not reinstated on Friday Duffy must not be allowed to argue for a further period of suspension.

The call must be made for an all-out strike in the spares division until Power is back in the factory.

Since last week's conference of major labour movement bodies in London, TGWU officials have been John

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fishalls Diary YOUR MAN AT THE TOP'S GHT TO STAY ON YOUR B

BACK OFF BACK

shown a swing to the right, but this was not so. What

Moves to black suppliers