Ireland — a key issue for Labour's international policy. TROOPS led by the TUC.
Since the General Election in June 83 the right bureaucracy has strengthened its grip the trade unions, and is moving to tighten its hold. So far, the left has failed to come with this threat. The steps towards a the Strategy for Tealsill the Future document by Len Murray is not some minor tactical move by the TUC.
of the NGA and the refusal to Oreanse fight over Cheltenham is not just one typical, sell-out in a HOIC 1983 have been JulIc directed towards a lun damental restructuring of the British labour HOVe ment. Since 1979 defeats, recession oNca misleadership has taken a heavy toll une unus Membership has fallen even HOTC rapidly than unemployment has risen. The number of shop stewaras las been naivea Strike days are in massive decline.
Few sections of workers are willing to take on the Tories in head on confrontation reluc tance which will be NGA creased by The slogan 'General Strike to kick out the Tories' is right now an ultra-left dream. Even in unions like NUM the left leadership is having CHARCU building opposition to the …OT TGWU the right are making gains, and may win the leadership.
Where broad lefts have won the leadership, in the now POEU and previously in the CPSA, they failed to these victories into real advance. The BLOC must have genuine these questions.
Any idea that this conference can be about removing the Tories replacing them with government should be slung out of the Pain in the AES THE TALE of the misdesign of the water pumps shows only too well how easy it is for men perceive the world from their viewpoint. This fact is being made strongly at the mo about the Great Debate of lost: what it is and how to fight it'.
From the Alternative Economic Strategy Farewell to the Lads and the proudly trained Kinnock, men nave nevel discussed themselves so much. Of they do tack Course. women on to their great pronouncements about the world, the and everything, if only to old Feminists to leave them alone. window. The struggles ahead are defensive struggles. They will need to dea! both rth the and with the right Lacks The left needs to Wille counter the new realism of the right with a realism of its own.
The first thing to note is that the Tories, their big majority, do not have a popular majority they returned to powel with only cent of the vote. On some of the issues which they are now trying to tackle they do not have mass support One of these is the abolition of the GLC Metropolitan Authorities Cheltenham is widely seen as an attack on democratic rights. A large part of the population is opposed to further attacks the unions. But the Tories wil ahead with their The weakening of the unions the elimination of Labour as the main party of opposition is a central part of the plans of the ruling class.
the British capitalist economys to be saved, then the political and org weakening of he working class is essen al. The policy of the right wing leaders is to retreat before these attacks The coalitionist of th Eurocommunists and their allies helps to give political cover for the retreats of The right is organising to fight for their positions right from the top to the bottom of the movement. tunity to begin the fight to ference offers oppororganise the very large minority who oppos the surrender of the 10c leaders.
will not be enough for the delegates ạt the BLOC Conterence just to make anti-Tory speeches BRITISH TELECON spiced with rhetoric about general strikes. The Broad defence of oul the along with defence of the GL the Metropolitan Councils to the fore when it discusses what to do in The left will not build a mass base in the unions Such amovemera will ons. on sectoral issues and grow into powerful force which links the left in the unions and FOR SALE. GOING CHEE POEU Picket the Labour Party if it takes political questions facing the main national the labour movement.
The delegates. to the BLOC have the chance to start doing
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THE TRADE UNION conference which the Broad Left Organising Committee has called for 24 March in Sheffield will be an important opportunity for the left in the unions to assess the stampede to the right
long history orients, policies of the TUC since