i made
important decisions were
+ month's Trades Union Congress that gets neeest the standard of ptr eS al Be
ris one of the most vital issues ’
as Fag fag adeguecnerPe policy on incomes and prices and with — fundamental right of the trade unions to function freely to improve wages and conditions of their members, was the subject of steamroller tactics.
Four days before Songress opened, Mr, Brown hastily visited Brighton to meet the T.U.C. General Council for a full day, to explain the fact that the Government intended, on the resumption of Parliament after the summer recess, to introduce legislation that would give them powers (by Order in Council) that would require the trade unions to notify the Prices and Incomes Board of claims relating to pay, hours or other major improvements and prospective terms of settlement, These claims are to be deferred until after the Board has reported on them,
The T,U.C. General Council decided to ask Congress to agree to the T.U.C. being a voluntary body which would examine claims that the unions were to submit to the employers, By setting themselves up as a reviewing body it was hoped to achieve the objectives intended by the Government, It is worth noting that many of the Unions present at Congress were unable to consult their ow executive members, as they had only three days in Congress to decide their unions! policies to the proposals,
A pertinent question could be asked - Why did George Brow wait until the General Council had gone to Brighton before he decided to go there and outline the Government's policy? In view of the fact it was already decided to introduce legislation, this information could have been given previously to the General Coucil in London, so that all the unions, prior to Congress, could have studied the proposals and decided on their attitude, These rush tactics might pay off to get decisions but the test will remain to see if the unions will allow to have taken away from them the fundamental right to free collective bargaining for their members «
It is becoming all too popular for Labour, Tory and Liberal leaders to turn their attention to the Trade Unions and blame them for the fact that Britain's economic crisis is not being solved, The real cause of the
and bankruptcy of their so called free enterprise society. What we need now are not measures to make capitalism work, but a change in the structure of society that will put the ownership of production in the hands of the people; the application of new techniques to serve not the few, but for the benefit of the whole Somunity; a substantial reduction in military expenditure; and some rethinking on foreign policy, This is the answer to our crisis and the way forward, A stop must be made to any attempts to weaken our trade union movement; the urgent need today is for the privileged few to get off the backs of the workers and let us get down to the job of improving the living standards of the people.
* Editorial from 'The Foun Worker' ,monthly journal of the Analgeamated Union of Foundry Worker's, I+ was written by W. Thompson, the Assist= ant General Secretary,