Pursuing their aim of reducing the living standard of the working class, the Tory govemment has now resorted to the biggest economic lock-out and botage in this country's histury. No ooe shouid be miskad into bebering that the proposals for throe day working are the result of an absolute shortage ofenergy. All the facts show that this is nonsense there are 27 million tons of coal stocks, and oil shipmeds from the Middle Fast are continuing to rise. In any case if there was some shurtage of coal there is an abdous answer - grant the wage claim of the miners and railwaymen.
In fact the three day working week and Barber's new budget, have little to do with energy, but (vivlin lo do with cabitalim's need to cut living standards to maintain its rate of prolit. Faced with resistance to this plan by the miners. railwaymen and power e gineers, the government has resorted to a very simple sick. By the national Jock-out they hope to make othor sections of the working class believe the lie that it is the railwaynen and miners who are responsable for their less of pay and so force them to return to work.
The Sunday Times newspuper spelt it out clearly when it said, Tis (the government's) desired effect is to per the miners and rallwaymen to submit to an accumulation or pressure from fellow workers faced with the dok." The stakes in this are very high. The employers magazine The Economisr las said that if the miners posts be defeated Heath could fock forward to a yoar without strikes for higher pay or against the nung unemployment that is going to develop in the next ycar. In thort, the Tories are trying to inflict a massive defeat on the working 44412 The responsibility for the fact that die government is in a position to carry out such an attack rests Squarely with one group of people the prosini kadership of the working class movement. The working class is potentially in a position of overwhelming strength. Over five million workers still have wage claims in under Phase 3 and the trade union movement this year has grown to over 11 mil lion members. Agalist the united us of this enormous strengis the employers and government would bei helpless.
But instead of waging a united struggle the trade uninn leaders have allowed the surength of the working class to be split up as different groups of workers go into straggle separately. Sume unions for exampic the AUEW have not even taken. national action. It is this failure to launch united actien which has left die way open for the Tory class, keen now this policy is being continued: Len Murray, instead of summoning up the forces of the trade unions for a uniled struggle has stepped in to try to get the railway men back to work. These policies must he reversed, If be prescat Tory so secured lasures suca as the 1. Smash Phase Three no retreat on the wage claims. aniled strike action to win the claims in fulL If the goverament's and emplayers attempt to drive down the living standard of the working class is to be defeated it is vital that all the wager struggles against Phase 3 are successful. There is nothing the employers wold Eke more tien for the working cliss to furget about breacing Phase 3 la pieces and insread fall back on pieroly defensive struggies. Bat the big DaWA Red Weekly 21 Decimber 1973 7. Recall the TUC. End Talks with the Governmeat. The present lendership of the working class move ment must be forced to show whore they stand whether they ithead to light the Tories or to cave in. They must be called on to come out into the open with their proposals for organising the struggle. If they adopt a fighting programme of the type we have discussed (which we don't believe for one moment they will then that would unise tho warKing class and take it forward, If they don't, then it will be clear to every voe serious about fighting th Tories that action mast be taken independently. The demands of the A LEW and other unions For n recali TUC must be taken up and turned into a crescendo. If Unro is arocal Congress it must be accompanied by cine-day strikes and the bippest Lobby in history. All talks between the TUC and the goverment must be ended. Heath has no intention of making any significant concessions. It is an outrage, a betrayal, that at this very moment the TUC is preparing for anotber round of talks with the Doveromant in the Natchal Economic Develonmeni Council, rather than mobiling the working class for 8, Build Courtils of Action.
Whether the TUC fighes or not, the greatest possible orpanisation of anited srojck at local level will be seeded in the days ahaad. The tradinonal way to working clase bas responded to this need- the way it açled in 1936 is to establish a Council of Action in every area. these could unite every siople eron of trade anionists and drane in tenants, studonts and ocher allies uf the worsing class movement. The role of such Councils in preparing for and organising the working class reaporise is vital. They can organis miced strapcks for agee chims, unite the light fo by off pay, coordinate the occupation of factories Take over control of lom stocks of coland other supplies, argenise distribution of materials, organise workers self-defende against pollee of army strike breaking, puhish the facts of real supplies ol material, bake contace with the power workers anc so un. It is an urgent matter of the bour to set up a Council of Action ur every area.
There are many mays this can be doou. Probably the best is to set one up through emergency meetings of Trades Councils and special conferenoos called by them but in other toas it could be through appeal From the local CSEC, by shap stewards commitious The important thing at present is not how Cauncil al Action come into exisena: hut that they are actuaily ser up. White no one should wait for the should be called on to promoto the setting up of Councils of Action in every aren On the basis of this type of programme the present crises cart be turged inte a victory for the working class, a chance to open up the way to socialism. Of all these demands the mast urgent ones which caus ring out in the working chas movement are: * No newcat on the wage cinims: Smash Phase 3: United action to win the claims in Cull * Break all lock outs with occupations; fight for full * Recall che TUC * Hulki Councils of Action in every ares. * Organise a General Serike to Bring Down the Tor