The strike is one of the longest so far The struggle has certainly proved to be an eye-opener for many of those taking me Issue in factories. I'm sure that the women stew* Ensure that any Trico products are be maintained.
* Send resolutions of support and don * Join the Working Women's Charter * Invite a speaker to your workplace and £1,400 million. candidate. Last week's annual conference of the National Union of Mineworkers revealed a smouldering revolt against the policies ol me corney leadersus Only by a majority of 17 on a card vote cia me executve win endorsement of their decision to ban all discussion on wages at the conterence. And this was after Yorkshire miners" leader Arthur Scargill had been peremptorily ordered from the rostrum by union president Joe Gormley when he tried to speak on Former left general secretary Lawrence Daly was also dragged out to give a "left' gloss the executive's sordid complicity with the Healey cuts by warning the Government not to ignore the demands put by the NUM and other unions. As conference went on record that day against the cuts in public spending and for the right to work, his words were obviously intended to convey to the delegates that if they played along with Healey's wage cuts everybody could have a io and the social services would Perhaps Daly's political myopia prevents him from seeing that there are now 1¼ million unemployed workers and that decline and deterioration is the order of the day in the entire public sector. Maybe Gormley forgot to whisper in his ear that Healey is planning new cuts estimated at between £1,200 the voung on whom to suppor for the job of Labour Party treasurer resulted in a narrow victory for the right wing. Industry Minister Eric Varley, an ex-miner, got 140 votes against the 133 won by Norman Atkinson, an AUEW-sponsored left MP. But even the Derbyshire delegation voted for Atkinson against their so-called favourite son A real potential blow was struck at the social contract when conference voter for staggered retirement on full wages. the resolution says that us must be agreed by January 1977 otherwise the executive shall ballot the membership to decide which course of industrial action should be taken to bring this matter to a successful conclusion.
An attempt by right-wing executive members to remit the matter or what action to take was defeated. Another swipe was taken at the social contract when delegates voted for a fourth week's paid holiday.
On the final day the conference voted unanimously to call on the Labour Govern ment to ban the National Front. This resolution is being forwarded to the TUC Congress in early September These votes show that the member. ship are beginning to rebel at the policies of the right wing and the Labour Govern ment. In the union that twice smashed Tory pay laws, and whose actions were responsible for getting rid of the last Tory Government. this is of tremendous significance.
Of course the right-wing leaders will do every thing possible to sabotage these decisions - their commitment to the Labour Government's reactionary policies ensures that. Nor will Mr Jenkins - whe still keeps Des Warren in jail - dash off his chair at the Home Office to ban the National Front because of the conference resolution, even it it does get carried at the TUC.
What the votes demonstrate is a trem endous potential for fighting the anti-working class poucies or Caulagnan anc Healey. That potential has to be mobilised, which means a rignt oy me mutan areas like Yorkshire, Scotland, South Wales, Derbyshire and Kent to put their full resources behind struggles against Certainly these areas should be demand ing the recall of the Unemployment Assembly and building for the lobby of the TUC. And to make the Labour Govern ment act on the National Front means contingents of miners on anti-NF pickets and demonstrations and pledges to support black self-defence in a practical way.
Inside the union the militant areas have to wage a joint campaign to reach directly the rank-and-file who still giv support to their right-wing leaders. If would act as a mighty stimulus to the rest of the workers movement and disrupt completely the plans of the ruling class. But if they remain at the level of words alone they will only demoralise the militants in the pits and reinforce the arguments of the right wing throughout the trade unions.
Bob Pennington