Fighting the New McCarthyism

become en Fighting the me McCarthyism In the strugg e for the programmatic demands of the Transitional Programme within the mass movement of the working class, we are forced also to take up the fight for democracy within the unions.

The union bureaucracy, driven on by the desperate plight of British capitalism and by the resultant demands placed on them by the employers to force through speed up and sackings, will attempt every possible means of stamping out principled opposition to its betrayals.

Clearest example of this is the McCarthyite witch-hunt now underway within the TWU aimed at removing the newly-elected leadership of Leyland's Cowley Assembly Plant, whose mass support in plant elections last December was integrally linked to their fight against worker participation, their opposition to wage control, and their perspective of a struggle to pany attack. This attack is obviously aimed not at the individuals concerned but at supp ressing their political positions. The charges raised against them by the TGWU District and Regional Inquiries that have been held include having a 'depth of dis- agreement' with the TGWU Executive over pay policy, and 'campaigning against' elec- ted and unelected officials of the union.

Such opnely political charges figure side by side with such ridiculous allegations as walking out of a District Committee meeting' and publishing details of the 5/293 Branch secretary's commission!

all If this then the who fight any other witch-hunt is allowed to succeed way will be open for all those in opposition to the TGWU or union bureaucracy to be arbit- Page 35

rarily muzzled from the union. For this reason a broad-based campaign has been launched with the aim of prev- enting this attack and defending the Gowley 9. Over 100 prominent TGWU members, including convenors, branch officers and shop stewards, have now signed the dec- laration reprinted here, calling a broad- based conference to fight these unpreced- ented moves against an elected left-wing leadership. officials To all comm

TGW

ittees; members, Nine members of the Transport and General Workers Union from the British Leyland Assembly Plant at Cowley face disciplinary action from the TGWU. They include the convenor of the plant and three deputy convenors elected by shop floor ballot in Dec- ember, and two shop stewards.

The nine face recommended tences including banning from sen- all office and expulsion from the union.

Most of those involved have long records in our Union. Bob Fryer, the convenor, was one of the main people involved in the unionisation of the plant. A shop steward for 30 years and convenor for 15 years up to 1974, he was re-elected last Dec- ember. Alan Thornett, steward for years and deputy convenor for years to 1974 was also re-elected December.He is also chairman of major TGWU branch in the plant.

Tom White, shop steward for 8 years, has been deputy convenor for six years and was re-elected in Dec- ember. Frank Corti, a shop steward for many years and Secretary of the 5/293 Branch was elected as deputy convenor in December. Tim O'Sullivan, 5/55 chairman, has been 20 years 16 six last the ranch Paint Shop s Ivol Homer been time. We believe this matter is of great concern to all activists and genuine democrats within the TGWU, and we believe it is vital that the max- imum pressure be put upon the rel- evant Regional and National bodies to make sure that no disciplinary measures of this kind are taken against these members. If this sort of action starts on Region 5, where will it end? We are therefore appealing to you to send delegates and observers to the Conference for TGWU members on April 8 to hear the full facts of the matter and to discuss the best means of preventing a serious blow to basic trade union rights.

teward. Braggins, Andy Brown, Tony and Dave Pinnington have active in the union for a long

TROTSKYISM

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