DESPITE THE ENORMOUS trial of strength betsidelines. This abstention takes miners are in the forefront of the struggle to deteat the Tebbit/King laws, thus rendering a service to all the trade union movement, against pit closures are showing unemployment is not inevitable and can be fought.
unemployment has steadily mounted and government attacks on working peoples' living standards increased, so the TUC retreated before Thatcher's onslaught.
It has stood by while unemployment has driven its artillated membership from an all-time peak 12, 172, 508 in 1979 down under 1983.
For years TUC relied on a policy carriec out through a myriad of bureauc alic Colleco of collaboration with government. In a period of high unemployment Coll cessions could be gained the use of the lobby and particularly when Labour was in government, personal contact ministerial level.
This stategy now lies in and influence has collapsed. rrom 1979 the worsening economic situation has stayed on the place when the and by their stand The stance of the TUC comes as no surprise. As class collaboraton - except if it is wholly on the government's terms.
government which relies monetarist policies nas lo lake trade unions and that is exactly what the Tories have been doing since 1979 Before the Tories took office in 1979 they prepared a plan for dealing with the unions which was in a report bv Norman Ridley the present Minister of Transport.
This was a plan of action for dealing with and breaking the power of the government carried with determination and enthusiasm since the day majority. And it is a plan that the TUC have failed to resist.
every single issue and whenever there has been a showdown the TUC has either capitulated to the government or even worse sold out the workers who have taken the When ASLEF opposed flexible rostering the TUC stabbed the railworkers in the back by refusing sup port. In 1982 the health workers went into dispute with the government Throughout this dispute workers like miners, postal workers COCKCIS print workers and others downed tools in solidarity with the health workers.
People saw the neec both to defend the NHS and also une chance to li flict a blow against the government's attacks the union. But the TUC restricted solidarity to a one-day Dayor Action and then toned it down to so-called days of regional action.
The great wave of op position to Thatcher ebbThe health DaCK workers were forced to accept the government's pay award and the way was opened for even bigger atlacks on lne neain service In the NGA dispute it Murray's Wal BOSSIeNCE that the Tory laws should be observed that won the day for Thatcher. Again was the failure of the TUC to fight for strike action at GCHQ backed by solidariwill you be Socialist Action 30 March 1984
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ween the government — backed up by 20,000 police and the NUM, the TUC has