THE NGA's struggle with Tebbit's anti-trade union laws obviously deserved the support of every trade unionist and Labour was an important test - one which they Not only has it been an opportunity to strike a body blow at the Tories and support workers' basic rights, but also an excellent opportunity for Labour to general, and skilled workers in particular.
Even from the point of view of Labour's electoral support, the failure of Kinnock and Hattersley to champion the NGA is self-defeating. And this is from a leadership which is supposed A special poll commissioned by the Sunday Times after the mass picket revealed 44 per cent of trade unionists supporting the NGA and only 34 per cent supporting Shah. Given that the poll was taken in the aftermath of a furious media the 44 per cent support for the NGA is surpriscondemning Tory laws, rather than giving open support to the NGA, while Hattersley insisted on the need to obey the law. With the support of the Labour leadership, trade union support for the would have increased substantially, opportunity taken to strengthen Party-trade union links. Kinnock and Hattersley are sabotaging the Labour Party not building it.
The ultimate defeat of the NGA, which is cerwill be a body blow at the whole labour movement, including the Labour Party itself. If Kinnock and Hattersley think that the weakening and division of the trade unions will aid the abour Party electorally, they are living nake-believe world. Every victory for the Tebbil and boosts the Tories. It will have a sure repercussion in the European elections and beyond.
And what about Labour Party support among the NGA members themselves? Labour lost out in both the 1979 and 1983 elections among skilled workers - for example in the print trade where half a million workers are employed, 56 per cent of NGA members opt out of paying the political levy to the Labour Party. The union in general casts its vote for the right wing at the TUC and Labour Party conference.
Here was an ideal opportunity to show the majority of NGA members who don't even pay Tene political levy which party stood by which party represented their interests. But no, the dynamic another opportunity to extend the party's support and stood passively by.
The NGA however is only part of a pattern. Roy Hattersley is showing a sure instinct for not winning support among workers by insisting on the need for incomes policy under the next Labour government.
At the last election Labour won only 39 per cent of trade unionists' votes. While public sector and lower paid workers voted over 40 per cent for Labour, the vote of skilled workers was down below 30 per cent for the Labour Party.
Labour can only win back trade unionists' support by showing in practice that it will not introduce incomes policy and by fighting for trade union rights. As Kinnock and Hattersley have evidently learned nothing trom the past they are doomed to repeat the old mistakes.
Editor: ALAN FREEMAN Published weekly except two weeks in August and the last week or December Signed articles by contributors do not necessarily repre- l sent Socialist Action's views. These are expressed in editorials. amongst trade unionists do. about 'picket-line violence', Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom the unions, strengthens