There was only real vote against sarpara castes magurus Prices and Incomes Bill. That was the vote of Mr Peter Jackson, leftwing Labour MP for High Peak, who voted against une governmen» The Labour MP'S who merely aostained may have eased their own little consciences-but they helped else- except perhaps Mr no-one Harold Wilson.
What about the Conservative. Party which voted against the Bill? Is anyone deceived by its new posture as the defender of trade-unionism? The Con: on industrial servative farty s statement noliev. satiricaly entitled. A Hair Dea at Work' represents a vicious attack on . Basically the pamphLe workle class. let proposes tnal Drusa mraac umous be hamstrung by a comprenensive legal system of industrial realtions. The chief new feature is that there would be against unions and financial penalties workers who break collective agree ments—in addition, it would be possible for workers to be sent to prison for contempt of court if they defy the ruling of the proposed Industrial Court. STEADmar Civil conspiracy The two foundation stones of this legal structure would be a new system of which would be a industrial courts, branch of the Hich Court. and a new Registrar of trade unions and employthe aritin of monitor byting - that unions could sue their own members in respect of any damages new Registrar could be taken to court they had suffered as a result of those for "civil conspiracy' if it indulged in members' ' unauthorised action'. industrial struggle.
Another proposal, obviously designed Unlawful trade dispute to weaken une rent to trike is that the The pamphit proposes that many types Minister of Labour (OT equivalent) of strike action would NOT be 'lawful could apply to the Industrial Court for trade disputes', thus making it possible an injunction to delay or stop a strike. He could do this if, in his opinion, the for employers to take against individuals and unions. These legal acuol strike " seriously endangered the nation- include: al interest?. One has enly to consider - sympathetic' strikes and the prachow the Government treated the seamen's and docker's strikes to see that nice or blacking goods or services; — inter-union disputes; every major strike would be so defined. - strikes or other actions to impose a During this period of injunction, the closed shop; Minister could order a secret ballot for - strikes to prevent employers from the men to decide whether or not to employing 'qualified' workers. accept ine emplovers last offer ob This would mean that any workers viously, such a set-up would give plenty taking part in these type of action: of scope for intimidation of the would could be sued for breach of contract be strikers by the employers, the press In addition, any employee dismisse and the Government. If. after all this. as the result of a closed shop, strik the men went ahead with a strike, the could sue the union, its oncials and as Government could then declare a State former employers. of Emergency. Although it would be possible for The Registrar's unions to sign agreements that would not be forceable in law, they would be powers unlikely. to do so because these agreeThe Registrar would have wide-rang- ments would have nothing like the ing powers. He could refuse to grant strength of legally-binding ones. registration on grounds that:
Why the Tories are so bold - the union had not had 'substantial' membership over a reasonable period; This vicious programme of anti-trade unionism is served up as a Fair Deal — if, in his opinion, the constitution at Work'- what cheek! But why is and rules were not "fair, reasonable it that the Tories, who have always and in the public interest!. been basically anti-trade union, feel confident enough to come out with such Further powers available to the RegisLa bold and comprehensive programme trar would include just now? The answer is very easy to - power to instruct trade unions to work out: they have been encouraged makc avalabic cocuments, copies of to come out into the open by the behaviour of the Wilson Government. - power to investigate and conduct a If the leadership of the party which preliminary inquiry into unions if he was established to defend trade-unions considered that they had contravened their rules. He could then take action on the political frontsets about attack Wing them, why should the Tories hold against the union or its officials in the Industrial Court; back? Thus the continued evolution of the Wilson Government to the - power to strike them irom the extreme rignt pulls along the whole Registrar or to impose other penaities fabric of British Politics with it. Repeal of section four Now we know what the Tories have in store for the trade-union moveFrom a trade union point of view, the ment if they are returned at the most serious thing to be suggested in next election. Just now It appears 4 of the Trade Union Act of 1871. the pamphlet is the repealing of Section that Labour will go down to a crushing defeat at that election so This would put collective agreements therefore, we may expect the proon a par with other types of contract. gramme of this pamphlet to be put his colle mean: into action. What is the best way to - that trade unions could be sued for fight against this eventuality? breaking any agreement they have made Let no-one tell us: by being loyal with employers: to Mr Wilson. On the contrary the - that trade unions would become best way is by fighting the present liable for torts (civil wrongs) commit- Government's anti- trade ted by themselves or by their members policies, and, in the process, créat- except in the case of what the ing a united front mass opposition. pamphlet call sa " lawful trade dispute'. That, indeed, is the best way of -that trade unions or their member struggling against the return of the could be sued for negligence, assault. Tories because the present deeline trespass, deceit, threats of injury, libel of Labour's fortunes is bound to and slander; continue until the workers see an - mat trade unions could be sued in alternative to Mr Wilson and his toeir own name, tnus meaning that entire Cabinet within the Labour their funds would be at risk; Movement.
THEY TEENT Pm not Over 400 delegates and members of the Vietnam Solidarity Campaign attended its annual conterence held in Londor on 18-19 May. The Conference was attended by militants from all over the country and included delegations from ine universites as well as rank and nie trade-unionists.
The enthusiasm and unity of purpose made this one of the few left-wing gatherings free from sterile. sectariar wranglings so common to the Left in Britain. Telegrams of solidarity were sent to the French revolutionaries, th Essex students and Bertrand Russel (on his 96th birthday. The conference undoubtedly represented an importan step forward for the Vietnam Solidarity Campaign. Its declared aim of structuring and consolidating the Campaign was achieved and successive speakers declared amidst cheers that the Campaign would wind up its activities only when the last us marine had vacated the shores of Southern Vietnam But undoubtedly the most enthusi astie moment of the conference came when the Chairman called for demonstrations all over Britain should the racist Labour government make any attempt to deport Tariq All. There were loud and prolonged cheers when he stated that if Tariq All were deported, *This bloody Government would wonder wnat nad hit it.... The most crucial decision taken by the Conference was to organise a mass mobilisation on the streets of London THE GAS USED by French police against students and workers in the Paris insur rection was discovered and developed at Britain's Chemical Warfare Centre, Porton, Wiltshire.
It is manufactured by the US on licence from Porton for use in Vietnam and for putting down Negro rebellions. Orthochlorbenzol-Malononitride known in the trade as cs is a white powder which vaporises into gas immediately on contact with the air. It is the main consistent of MAcE. Government state ments on the degree of danger from cs nave been toroughly misleading The British patent merely states that in a concentration of between 1 part in 10 million and 1 part in 1 million it is enough to drive all but the MOSt determined person out of its reach within seconds.
In the low concentrations usca Cs causes violent vomiting and coughing and such serious skin irritation and abdominal pains that soldiers acting MORNING TAKING THE a Racialist, but......
in October. The paper entitled "vs's Autumn Offensive' was followed by a
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| Autumn offensive