the NALGO London weighting allowance struggle — on the side of the Goverment - is a cleur announ cement that they intend to police their side of the 'social contract with determination and vigour.
Indeed, they can now be expected to intervene far more forcefully against wage struggles than they have ever been prepared to do in the past in defence of working class interests.
The guidelines laid down by the TUC to direct future wage claims show just he, low these sell-out artists have gone.
They openly accept Labour's decision to continue to operate the hated Tory Phase 3 lawa. They advise unions to keep claims broudly in line with the patterns that have been operating' (ie, Phase 3) and ramind" affiliates that Employment Secretary Michael Foot will only use his powers to lift the pay laws under exceptiona. circurostances.
What has the TUC got so far in exchange for its treachery? A budget whose main effect will be to push up prices and unemployment, and which actually increases the tax burden tn many sections of the working claas (including some of the poorest)
Labour's promises to keep prices down are just so much empty talk The Goverament has no sooner finished pouring hundreds of millions of pounds into tbe coffers of the hig baking companies, threatening another Ip increase in the price of a loaf.
The TUC's arguments on these questions ate totally stupid. On the one hand, they argue that workers must give up the hope of winning regular improvements in their living standards hecause of the seriousness of the cconomic crisis. Al the saine time, they would have us believe that the Labour Government can solve the burning problems of this crisis with ease:
In actusi fact, the TUC's policy will not even be abde to mect its stated aim of keeping up with the cost of living. The sociai contract -a massive attack on working class iring standards.
Trade union militants must reject