sociany uscrur produce on suaranice COMPAN NEEDS R FOR WOR adopt the above rule."
STIN
trying to change the rules.
In no circumstances shall the Counci co-operate with or sunscribe to me funds of any organisation whose policies or activities are contrary to those of Congress ....... N.B. It is mandatory to The quotation above is from a new rule that the TUC General Council has decreed should be adopted by all local trades councils in Great Britain. Under this diktat support for any initiative (like the Labour Movement Assembly on jobs) may be prohibited if the TUC leadership opposes its aims.
Before the 26 November demonstration against unemplovment. the TIC scut a cucuar round to oca trac counchs and kegional TUes banning them from supporting the lobby. In the main the ban proved ineffective, and 20,000 workers marched against the Labour Government and TUC policies. This threat by the rank-and-file has se frightened the trade union bureaucrats what tney nave blown the waistle and are Trades councils have often been at the centre of campaigns which have run right up against the TUC leadership the Shrewsoury Hoke acience campaint is ocraap. the most notable recent example. It is with a a or avoiding suen chanenge. to their collaboration with the Labour Government and the employers that the TUC burcaucrats are now trying to clamp down on the independence of trades councus, untortunately une past recor of the trade union lets on such rule book' questions suggests that this rule is councils without a tight.
For instance, the Morning Star has up to now failed even to mention the fact that this rule exists! In the 1920s, when the original rule prohibiting trade: councils from supporting the Commumist Party or organisations backed ug by it was introduced, the CP leadership retreated without putting up a major fight, and finally recommended acceptMilitants who are genuinely interested in fighting against the present sellout policies of the TUC should vitor ously oppose these rule changes, which also commit trades councils to support ing only the Labour Party. Motions should go forward to all trades councils in the country rejecting the attempts of the TUC bureaucrats to silence the rank-and-file; demanding an emergency recall conference of trades councils, preceded by a full and democratic debate in the whole movement; supporting all efforts to organise action against the anti-working class policies put lorward by Wilson, Healey. Murray and Jones; and calline for a recall TUC to break with the Government's policies. JOHN GRAHAM (delegate to Bir mingham Trades Council).
Red Weekly 11 March 1976 AUEW/In Focus 3