The Industrial Shop Stewards' Defence Comnittee has issued a leaflet on the Wage Freeze, from which the following extracts have been taken: Prices will not be Frozen: Everyone knows that many vrices have increased . since July 2Oth. As the Financial Times put it eee "in fact, there has been no price freeze. The section in prices in the July White Paper does not amount to anvthing approaching a universal standstill on prices." There can be no machinery to ensure that the prices in hundreds of thousands of shops up and cown the country are frozen - as we already know to our cost. The Government's blanket refusal of increases contracted for and agreed months in advance of the freeze contrasts strangely with the exceptions permitted to manufacturers for price increases due to taxation, increased import charges, seasonal changes in supply and increased costs of components. In fact many food prices are excluded from the freeze altocether. The freeze, (like Incomes Policy) is a fraud. The effect of price increases without wages following is a planned decrease in wages. The Employers will take the Hint: In many ca es the employers will find the wage freeze and the credit restrictions an excuse to cut fringe benefits and bonuses. The attack on long established rights end conditions will be stepped up by the bossese Short tise, and above all unemployment, also mean nothing but a slashing of workers' wages, The Governnent is creating the framework in which the employers can most effect-= ively fight organised workers, Unemployment: To justify Incomes Policy, Wilson and Srown arcued that wace restraint was the necessary alternetive to unemployment. low we are getting ware cuts and unemployment. Pryke, an ex-member of \Jilson's DEA, stated that the figure of unemployment could reach a million by the winter after next. The City keeps its dividends, the bosses keep their profits and the workers lose their jobs. Cause of the Crisis: The real causes of the crisis are, first, See rcs pea, 3 ms a ; : military s. ending abroad; second, the export of private capital overseas. In the present year the estimated loss on the balance of payments wil] be about 7220 millions. But military expenditure abroad will be %650 millions; and private capital xport, £450 millions. The crisis is a crisis of the capitalist svstem,. It is caused by the bosses. Let them pay for it. ; Ve must have a progranme to firht the freeze: No sa: king, share the work, If the employers are unable to keep a factory open, let the State take it over, Pight for rank and file control of the workers' orcanisations and acainst Government intervention in trade union affairs. Pledge full support for all workers engaged in strike action to defend conditions. In the TCU there are sections (i.e. tank Crivers) who could beat the freeze hands down. bet Cousins and his followers match their verbal radicalism with determined and meaningful action.
REDUNDANCIES by Willie Thompson Hard on the heels of almost complete short-time working at the B.M.C. plant at Bathgate in West Lothian, came the announcement from the North British Steel factory in the same tow that 100 of their employees are to receive similar treatment, and in the same area, 46 workers are due to be laid off from the West Lothian brickworks. In the west of Scotland, major sackings at Singer's of Clydebank have been followed by the news that I.C.I. will slow down by a year construction work on its projected nylon=polymer plant in Ayrshire, and it is reported that about 50 workers there have been offered "golden handshakes" to retire earlier than normal. By far the harshest blow, hovever, has been the fact that discontinuance of night shift working at the Rootes Pressings car factory of Linwood has meant the dismissal of 500 production workers. In the same week 80 night shift workers attending a factory gate meeting on a victimisation issue found the gates closed against them and were locked-out for the remainder of the shift, RISING PRICES The Scottish UndersecTetary of State, J. Dickson Mabon, has recently been hoving intensive meetings with over 50 local authorities, warning them, among other thinzs, that contractors are forcing up the price of council houses in excess even of the extent permitted by the government. He promised no interv -ention of any sort but suggested rather a switch to industrialised building methodSececces In Lanarkshire the Scottish Special Housing Association are to raise the rents of 800 of their houses. Dundee Corporation has taken a decision to do likewise, and though efforts are being made by the Labour Group to reverse it, this appears almost impossible to accomplish. Many of those redundant and on short time in West Lothian will also find themselves faced with a rates increase, and in Hast Lothian the County Council is raising its rents. There is talk about the possibility of increased tolls on the Fourth Road Bridge as the Joint Board sinks further into debt and finds the volume of traffic insufficient to meet its obligations, Durinz the week-end September 3-4 the Scottish Labour Party's annual Women's Conference was held in Falkirk. The press was excluded, except to an address given by a government minister, Miss llargaret Herbison. The following day in Glasgow a Labour Party conference was held to explain government policy to local delegates. Again the press was invited to hear only one speaker, who turned out to be, -surprise, surprise,- Miss ‘largaret Herbison. Representatives of 6000 Glasgow busmen have decided to take no action meantime on the freezing of their 9/3a per week wage award. Dundee busmen are the only Scottish municipal transport employees to have done so, partially banning overtime and refusing standing passengers.