THE NEED Un 3S
i i hich would have been made Editorial Note: this is the text of a speech wh had not the platform manoeuvred the West Nottingham resolution on incomes policy off the conference agenda. They obviously feared a real discussion on what a socialist incomes policy should be!
i i ialist incomes I am well qualified, coming from Nottingham, to speak on a socia policy. 1 was a NottinzhaliMno started the idea. His name was Robin -_ His policy, which still fevers our imagination, was to rob the rich to pay : e poor. It is time that this government of ours followed that inspired example as contained in Clause Four. We are not suggesting that we can reach Utopia in the first year of a Labour Government. We are well aware of what state the country was in when the Tor ies were thrown out. Yet we are certain that put to them properly, the working people of this country will make sacrifices if it is necessary. But to ask them to make these sacrifices it must be shown that basic changes in the structure and control of the economy are taking place. There must be a growth in their power and a reduction in the arbitrary powers of the employers The working people have not been attracted towards any incomes policy whilst they see this Labour Government dragging its feet on steel and land nationalisation. If as much zeal had been devoted to controlling the bankers as to criticising trade unionists this party would have a far greater show of unity in conference today. What are the preconditions of a socialist incomes policy? I would say that our resolution lays them down quite clearly. It certainly cannot begin with a situation where many workers in this country are receiving less than £10 per week, If Mr. Brom really thinks that this is a living wage, then I would suggest that he attempts what Ernest Bevin did when he was making his case for the dockers: try to live on it. It is a scandal that an incomes policy should be under discussion without the firm expression for and action by the government on the question of equal pay for women. Above all it should never be entertained before a guaranteed minimum wage is actually established = and when one talks of a minimum wage that means also a living wage. However serious is the state of the economy, there is one reform that costs nothing, The trades unions must have the right to judge from the findings of opening the employers! books what sort of an incomes policy they should have. At the moment they are unaware of the facts as to how much they are being exploited. Mr. Brow recently pointed out that wage ins creases are out in the open and can be seen by all. Mr. Woodcock told the In-= stitute of Directors last year that they were too scared to disclose their profits. Of course they want to conceal them. We can guess at some of then, but generally we know far too little. The vital secrets are being kept hidden. What we say is: “open the books." Let us have everything out in the open. Let us know whether these people are cheating the incomes and prices policy or not. The boss and tax office see through Pay As You Earn that they have the last ounce out of the employee. Why, therefore, shouldn't the unions be allowed to assist the Inland Revenue to stop the employer's tax fiddles and expense account rackets? Until the
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The Need for a Socialist Incomes Policy (continued)
unions have this sort of information their members are the only ones bound
to suffer. Why shouldn't we scan the books? We can study the accounts of
local councils down to the last pemny. What is so sacred about profit?
The present incomes policy keeps us in the dark and the employers can see
we are blindfolded. Mr. Brown has done nothing whatsoever to take any power
away from the employers but we are constantly hearing threats against fund-
amental trade union rights. Trade unionists throughout this land have built
this movement in hard won battles and they will not succumb to threats or
intimidation wherever it comes from. I will say finally that the first blow
against these threats will be at this conference when you vote for this
resolution.