IT IS NO longer possible to imagine that the government will change its mind about abolition and ratecapping because opinion polls and by elections have consistently shown because, through arguments about democracy, we have 'proved our case'.
They need to 'save money' by slashing jobs and services, and to get rid of the Labour GLC as a popular opposition to the government.
Union stewards and ac. tivists have thrown all their weight behind the miners' collecting levies organising meetings. Through this we have been able to point out the similarities of our fights, and to deal with the arguments about taking industrial action breaking une something which local WUIKCIS reluctant to do.
But we cannot ignore the campaign against abolition ratecapping. The government be publishing Dull Onl Vovember hopes to by the end of 1985.
throw 6,500 workers on the dole imHE HAD NO intellect, and not much intelligence he is a emotions -own words, dominated by his own slogans.?
This was Beatrice Webb on A.J. Cook.
It could easily be Arthur Scargill. His revolutionaries' was Webb's attack on Cook.
The hatred of the labour right for the left was as deep then as it is now.
The period in which A.J. Cook was one of the leaders of the left wing of the labour movement of tremendous reshaped British politics.
The years after 1909 were marked by bitter class controntations. The number of strike davs grew from 2.7 million in 1909, to 10 million in 1910 and 1911, and to 40 million in 1912. Trade union membership more than doubled in the same period.
In August 1910, miners from the Cambrian Combine in South Wales, where Cook was the leader, struck. The strike lasted until August 1911.
It became a landmark in labour history.
There were bitter clashes with owners brought in scabs. Police and troops were brought in from all over Britain. At Tonypandy was killed, and official leaders stood by and watched.
These struggles, and the inaction of the union leaders, provided fertile ground for the growth of syndicalism in Britain. Syndicalism aimed to build revolutionary industrial unions, under the control of the members. After the Cambrian strike, Cook turned his attention to this task.
Ablett, he formed Commitee Movement.
In 1912 he helped produce syndicalism's most famous pamphlet, The Miners' Next Step. Its aim was a union whose central policy would be that 'a continual agulacon be carried on in increasing the minimum wage and shortening the hours of work, until we have extracted the whole of the employers' profits ... That our objective be to build up an organisation that will ultimately take over the whole of the mining industry and carry it on in the interests of the workers.
Its shorter term aims included a seven hour day. This demand was won in 1919.
Throughout the war Cook had maintained his class struggle, tions to defend the position of the miners. He was elected Agent for Rhondda No 1 District in 1919.
majority against, These policies are part of the Tories manifesto.
mediately: and a further 14,000 will follow. In the meantime, rate-capping will hit the GLC and other local authorities.
ILEA NALGO shop steward for London (the joint GLC campaign), don Bridge (the organisation stewards the London hit-list boroughs) and SERTUC have called strike on 7 November, the day after parliament opens This is to step up campaign aralisl abolition ialc capping, and to focus on the loss of jobs and services.
quivering mass of a mediumistic magnetic sort of an inspired idiot, drunk with his Eric Hammond on attack on 'nursery of the same ilk The reasons are simple.
class struggle, which police as the scores injured. The With Noah Unofficial Reform favour of positions defying wartime regulaIt's a welcome change in the direction of the camUntil democracy was the only Icatule solla support expected from many London boroughs, some sections of the GLC will come out. This will make the dar of publicity and a large turn out on the demonstration.
But we cannot rely just on days of action which the government can easily SIl through. non-cooperation with government plans, backed by industrial action, which will make LOe government Not all unions agree with such an approach. var ticulal. the 12,000-strong GLC Staff Association is asking its members not to strike on / November. Although will HOI cooperation, it will only oppose compulsory redundancies.
The GLCSA is basically scabbing on any posals to take the campaign forward. It has now withdrawn the for London campaign.
There is, however. minority in the assocalon want support a campaign of industrial action. and it is no same the miners unlike the stop government plans for we HUsI build up mittees.
must there no golden handshakes, no guarantee job clear that tinue VUIT campaigi. against abolition and ratecapping, all our efforts must be behind the miners for the miners will put the government on the run and our fight against abolition and rate. capping will be that much a class struggle LANDS OFF LE CLO