According to the organisers this year's workers! control conference in Nottingham looks like being the most successful yet. We are told that some 270 delegates - the majority of them being from trade unions organisations - had registered at the last count. Previous experience shows that there is always a last minute rush so it should be well-attended indeed. The conference could scarcely bo nore tirnely, coming as it does just after the vicious anti-working class budget and on the eve of fresh anti-trade union legislation. It is to be hoped that the cc«nference will assist in the mounting of a counter offensive by the working class against the Labour Government's right-wing policies. The concept of industrial democracy is one which is both appropriate to the situation and relevant to the kind of strategy which would be required for such a counter-offensive. Old-style wages' militancy, whilst it is to be entirely welcomed and encouraged, is inadequate in our present sitatuion. In a period of intense inflation - which is what we will face for the rest of this year - wage increases, even when they can be won, will be eaten up. The concept of workers! control must embrace control over the system of wages assessment. If the Government is serious about its promises to control prices it cannot object to a sliding scale of wages to automatically compensate for increases in the cost of living. The budget measures, despite Jenkins' promi:es, will lead to the closing of factories and other work places. It will thus intensify and increase the effects of numerous mergers and rationalisations. Quige apart from increasing unemployment, all this is a terrible threat to union organisation. Naturally from their point of view, the employers will seek to use any closures or reorganisations to weaken union organisation and to break up shop stewards committees where militants are well-established - they would be foolish to do otherwise. Workers' control mist mean control over hiring and firing and an all-out effort to prevent any unemployment at all. Whenever the employers speak of sackings or redunduwicy, the workers must demand the opening of the books to first of all verify whether the employers are speaking ghe truth. They must insist on the shop stewards committees controlling the situation with the priority of a policy designed to avoid at all costs any unemployment. Workers! control and industrial democracy are concepts which must be clearly defined. The Wilson Government is quite aware of their appeal and has sought to use them to cover up its anti-working class policies.- it does this essentially by trying to smaggle in workers! participation in the guise of industrial democracy. This is not the only example of the mis-use of the term: a recently published book is entitled"An experiment in industrial democracy;"it is not until one reads the sub-title that one is
Workers' control and the budget continued/
aware that it is a history of the so-called John Lewis partnership. What is the key which enables us to distinguish between these various types of "industrial democracy"? There is one decisive criterion: do the advocates of industrial democracy seek to organise a struggle for workers! power? Thus workers! control and our idea of industrial democracy must always be linked with living struggles. This especially so in the present period when an offensive against the workers is being waged by a Government which calls itslef Labour and which postures as being democratic socialist. Anyone who advocates industrial democracy and workers' control today must at the same time advocate a struggle to the finish against the present policies of the Government as exemplified by the Budget. The linking of these struggles to the anti-capit@list strategy intrinsic to workers' control is the most important question facing theleft in Britain today.
Vietnam Solidarity Campaign Notes from Mike Martin Now that the Vietnam Solidarity Campaign has emerged victorious from the March 17th campaign, it is desirable that we begin to assess the gains which have been made,and harness the political capital of the recent period in organisatjonal terms. With this in mind V.S.C. has called a'report back! meeting at which it will be possible to discuss the experieuce of the Demonstration and consider in general terms the period ahead of us. Details of the meeting are as follows;
Place Toynbee Hall. Commercial St. London E1.
( near Aldgate East Tube Station)
Time 7-30pem. on Thursday April 4th,
Speakers include Tariq Ali and Pat Jordan, As many readers of The Week will be aware one of the factors preventing V.S.C. from taking full advantage of the opportunities now opening up is the lack of money. This in turn means that we are confined to an extremely small office and lack basic equipment. Any Week _ reader who supports the aims of V.S.C. is invited to send a donation to our mailing address °
22, Sarre Road
London N.W.2.