Last year the AUEW Conference voted in favour of industrial action to defend jobs. It hasn't been forthcoming so far. But the Broad Left were as silent as the grave on this issue. They uttered not one word of criticism of * AUEW support for the Chrysler/ Government deal under which 8.000 jobs will be lost.
manoeuvres. But the gag stayed put. These delegates, mainly supporters of the Communist Partv dominated Broad Left. had fallen hook, line and sinker for the trap set by the rignt, in contining ten opposition on incomes policy to the formal decision-making bodies of the unionthe divisional committees and National Committee.
The principled course for these delegates would have been to vote against the pay dear in denance or the mandate clam ped on by the right wing. But such a move would nave requrred support at the base -and the Broad Left had done nothing to prepare the ground tor it The right in the union can only be dereated by ine active mobilisation or the rank-and-file against the policies of the Labour Government. While it is vital to AUEW President Hugh Scanlon-approved right's suppression of workers democracy demonstrations on zo November and 2o May no way even considered implementing its mandate in a situation where one and a quarter million are still officially unemploved the membership through mobilisations Absence because the Broad Left support the unmw une communse aw-reruse to at the level of the bureaucracy.
endently for alternative policies which * The lack of AUEW support for the * The fact that the leadership has in wage a struggle in all union bodies against the right wing, the main axis must be to fight for a political understanding among around events like the lobby of the spec Here the AUEW Broad Left is conspicuous mainly by its absence. This is not ion's policy, but because they-and especbreak with Seanlon on this issue. As usual, the interests of the rank-and-file are sub ordinated to the 'need for a left alliance' The campaign has to start now at shop stewards quarterlies, shop stewards committees and mass meetings to ngut maep can pave me way for rank-ano-ne resisE ance to the Government's wage cut plan
British/
serr Internationde JUDF NORTH An- CONDO INTERNATIONAL Fourth