At its meeting et Blacipool, the A.3.U0. National Committes pasiot warppmousty a resolution callin” for resistance to the vicious attacks now
made against shop stewards, which is part of a sinister campaign of persecution and victimisation, If. Tallon, who was presiding in the absence of the president Carron, called on the committees to reject the motion, However he was immediately repudiated by two other right-wing members of tha executive, P. Han'ley and ™. Eradley. It was clear that the right-wing faction had dacided for tactical reasons not to oppose the motion. Tallon than withdrew his opposition and ths proposition went through, “hilst the exscutivs members who spoka in the dobate made it clear that they did not feel obliged by the resolution to defsnd a shop steward who 'had broken an agroement', rank and file speakers made it obvious that they regardsd the motion as pledgine ths union to take decisive action, irs Earrison of Covent complained thet the executive should act more quickly in making Fintinisetion strikes officials and C, Bridges of Harrow regretted that union leaders remained silant in face of aniti—shop steward proparenda,
On the whols the passing of the resolution wat-a defeat for the right wing and will give a ‘legal! sovar’ for left wing calls for ths union as a wholes to fight seach victimisation case. The fact that the right wing did not dars,to opposs it arises larysly from the shock they raceived over the election Hugh Scanlon to the exosutive. In the 1.5.0, every official has to stand for re-slaction every thres or five years, many right wingers mst bo thinking about whother they can hang on to thsir comfortable jobs or not,