'84 in Herald stated 'That concept is dead'. As subsequent the sabotage of support for the miners, have shown the obituary was premature.
There is no doubt that at the congress the new realists were on the defensive. On the key issues of support for the miners the far right around Hammond Lyons were isolated and defeated.
Len Murray had retired hurt, and the candidate of the 'left', Willis replaced him. The resolution in support of the miners överwhelming majority.
The reluctance of the centre and the right to back the NUM, however, was shown in the behind the scenes arm-twisting to remove the resolution calling for a day of action resolution calling for a levy of trade unionists. In the resolution, the right entered the significant the boycott of coal and oil in the power stations would have to be 'with the agreement of the unions concerned.' Despite this, the resolution was a victory for the miners. counch dao ignored tae surike ror sIx months. Now, the movement was officially committed to support.
The new realists, however. were not prepared to lie down and die.
They began by refusing to wage a serious campaign to implement congress decisions in the power stations in the clear knowledge that implementation of the guidelines would guaranteee for the miners. The EETPU and the Engineers and Managers Association openly refused out the policy. support was merely formal.
The general council stood aloof. The action that was mainly a result of rank and file support for the miners, and not the result of leadership from the officials. It was clear council more interested in getting control of the strike, in order to impose a deai on Ron particularly Norman received an FTAT all photo. MARK RISHER caveat:
The general the NUM, Tories.
By October, and Kinnock Wing support for GMBATU avoiding the delivered was support.
was anti-union laws.
than in defeating the policy when the NUM was fined £200,000 for contempt, Basnett Were making picket line violence the main issue, with the clear intention of underminthe question of TUC support tor the miners against the courts. Only the rail unions and the TGWU were seriously attempting to deliver The right were able to use the situation to raise the question of the Duffy Hammond began moves to reverse TUC Norman Willis on the anti-union laws, and Basnett has not joined them on this issue, with his proposal for a meeting of trade union executives to consider the policy.
The new realists have regained the position they lost at the TUC. From the beginning of the strike it has been clear that the centre and right of the trade union movement has had no interest in a victory for the Scargill leadership of the NUM. A decisive victory for the left would endanger the whole policy of reaching agreement with the Tories, and avoiding big confrontations.
Hammond and Duffy are quite happy to see the NUM go down to defeat, while the centre around Willis and Basnett seek a compromise deal that would weaken the Scargill leadership. The Tories seek no such compromise. Recognising the weakness of the general council, they want total victory.
The response of the left to the treachery of the general council has been less than adequate.
TUC congress, when the initiative was with the left, the success was not adequately built on. Then, the response should have been meetings between the rank and file in the power stations and rank and file miners.
It is necessary to take the fight for implementation of congress deciLABOUR LEADER Neil Kinappeal for national that the trade Photo: GM COOKSON as Basnett unless the to organise divide clarified. organise. wait for the Basnetts of this world to honour their pledges. In most of the power stations neither the TGWU nor GMBATU have arranged meetings where the miners could put their case directly.
There have been even fewer instances of TGWU or GMBATU officials standing on the picket lines at the power stations with the miners to the TUC guidelines. The left has not organised its forces to deal with the sabotage of The left union leaders have not the steps needed to bring together the support that exists at the base of the movement, through for example, & national demonstration, a solidarity pressure on the TUC to support a na tonal day of action. 'he richt have been far better organised, and have had the courts, the media, and the state on their side.
They have had no compunction about dividing the TUC to achieve what they want. The left has been far too slow to open up the political battle with the right wing. The reality is union movement more sharply divided now than at any time since the 1920s.
These divisions will deepen as the Tory attacks continue. It will be of decisive importance for the future of the labour movement that the left organises itself from top to bottom of the movement to meet unese alacks The divisions in the NUM, with the threat of scab unions, is not an ex. ception to the general trend. They ex. press, in an extreme form, the divileft has to recognise the necessity for an open political battle with the right who are taking the movement down the road to disaster. The centre will always fall into the arms of the right.
Willis have done. left is waging a fierc battle which forces maneouvres into the open. That means clear political campaigns, with focuses around which the left can mobilise are essential. The line of between those WIU prepared to fight the Tories, those who want to capitulate must be For that the left CLUSI
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congress of the TUC Todd speaking about new realism