(from Briefing)
Party Chairman Walter Padley's lay preacher exhortations to the newly opened Conference made no apology for reminding us about socialism, In fact there was a great deal of reminding - presumably he thought it was necessary - but not much evidence of progress, Whilst Walter confirmed "All of us are impatient for the coming of real socialism", he made no mention of steel, nor of the nationalisation of insurance which he used to advocate in the union, UASDAW, of which he is a member. "The over-riding theme is the crusade for human justice" we were informed, What about justice for the steel-workers who were promised by Kirene White, speaking on behalf of the NEC at last year's Conference, that the Government would include worker's particupation in its plan for the nationalisation of steel, Or has the High Tory, Lord Melchett, been converted to workers control? And what about justice for the lower-paid workers? Labour spokesmen can rely on an easy round of avplause with this ploy. But delegates should ask exactly how restraint by higher paid workers is going to benefit those with lower incomes. Is the money the Austin workers are no longer receiving being handed over to the employees of Birminzcham Corporation? And who are the 'lower-paid workers'? They are largely the 5 million government and local authority employees. If the Government thinks their wages are disgracefully low, then the remedy is in its own hands, It can pay them more, CONGRATULATIONS. (from Briefing) Following the Frank Allaun/Fhilip Noel-Baker complaints about the short time accorded to the foreign affairs debate, the Arrangements Committee announced that Thursday's morning session has been extended by half an hour, and that the Rhodesian problem would be discussed on Friday morning. We hope that sufficient time will remain for the impartant Emergency Motion of Hornchurch CLP on the vital question of South Africa's mandate over ยง.W.Africa. This appears at the end of the printed agenda of composited resolutions, CORRECTION We have given the address of the secretary of the Gloucester branch of the Centre For Socialist Education incorrectly. It should be: John Ewers, 62, Frampton Rd., Gloucester.
At last year's conference a resolution calling for workers" participation in the nationslised steel industry was moved by aSSET and accepted by the NEC, This year the amalgamated Union of Foundry Workers raises the issue again, The arrogant attitude taken by sections of industrial manage~ ment is indicated by the current mass sackings at BMC, Workers are not inanimate objects without rights, to be hired and fired at the whim of management. Social democracy demands the extension of political democracy to industrial democracy. 4 mature democracy in which every man and woman can develop their potentialities fully demands this condition. The proposed appointment of Lord Melchett to be Chairman of the new Steel Board is a major error which can still be reversed. A progressive step would be to ensure the incorporation of forthright provisions for a workers' share in management in thenew bill. This sort of legislation has been successfully implemented in Yugoslavia. Delegates may consider that it could be enacted in Britain too.