The fight for the new seat on the executive walso important. Cafford Arrowsmith, another Broad-Left candidate, is opposing Bill Jolin, a confirmed right-winger, A defeat for Arrowsmith could tip the scales in tavour of the right on the sevenStrong eXecutive, The executive is the full-time body in the union which interprets the policies laid down each May hy the 52 menhers of the national committeu)
The cogincering employers in particular, and the ruling class in general, will have their sights focussed on these clections, Needless to say Labour's leaders will also have more than a casual interest in their outcome.
WEAKEN The AUEW is Britain's second largest union. Its vote at conferences of the Labour Party and the TUC can be absolutely decisive. In the hey-day of Carron it was used to smash the left and bolster the nightwing.
SHREWSBURY Both have already served part of their sentences-Warren got three years and Tombson two- since it took six months even to get them out on bail Now they face the possibility of going back to jail.
The Labour Government did nothing about the Act under which they were convicted the 1875 Conspiracy and Protection of Property Act-up to J0 October, nor do they show any signs of doing anything about it in future.
The justice that these brothers received is the justice of the capitalist class. Its sole purpose is to protect the interests of capitalism against The candidates of the Broad-Left Wright, Arrowsmith, Brindle, Higes, Morton and Foster (the last four are standing for the organisers" jobs) -should he supported. But that support must not be ancritical. AUEW members must demand of these candidates that they not only vote for u pay claim that breaks the social contract, but that they begin to prepare now for strike action to win that claim.
The forces around the BroadLeft, and the militants in the union must also insist that there candidates pledge themselves to give full backing to the fight against redundancies, This means placing the full financial and material resources of the unson behind members engaged in factory occupations, and taking up the struggle for the nationalisaton without compensation, under the control of the workers of all firms introducing lay-offs and red. undancies.
This week Des Warren and Ricky Tomlinson, two of the Shrewsbury building workers, are up in the High Court again. This time it's to hear their appeal against the monstrous verdict and sentences handed down last December.
the interests of the working class.
That justice can only be fought by working class action, I1 cannot he overturned by appeals to reason' 'and 'fair play'. If Warren and Tomslinson go back to jail, a movement even bigger and stronger than that which grew up to defend the original 24 defendants must be created.
From the outsel it must make clear that it has one central objective-securing the release of these two men. It must also make clear that it will work all-our for strike action throughout industry to get their release. comment of SEI worker Catherine ary, to return to work.
have got 62p on the bonus but lost 80p in thresholds. That means a cut of 18p a week. We still have not got weeks of strike just for that."
mecting where Bramah recommended a return to work on terms that the women could have had weeks ago, The management have still not given a written guarantee aboul no victimisations, but have just made a verbal promise to Bramah.
ion of the worsen was being broken down, and the stage was being set for victory. The management's last throw-a letter loss they returnod to work had failed. with only two women going back, SUPPORT GROWS had battle! on their own. Promises abbegun to appear. The Hury Atff W made a tirin commitinent to a one day strike on October 28, And last Saturday. 19 Cletobot, Came a mass soldanty many when attracted 500 poople.
sed the nood tor a national campaign lo support the SEt women. Sheffield engineering shop steward Kath Cirket callod demonstration in Manchester on the issue of equal pay. That demonstration, She said, should he keyed inso the struggle at SER Trades Council, pointed to the victory of Roy after the women at the Heywood factory had been advised by Peter Bramah, Bury and District AUEN secretAnother woman worker said: "We equal pay on the basic rate. All those 1151 The decision was taken at a mass This sell-out come just as the isolaters. This bad boon won, she said, because of the way they had been ahle to widen support for their strike and get extensive blacking of Wingrove's products.
Fight the battle on your own Don't rely on the burcaucracy", urged May Hobhs who led the fight of the London women night cleaners. Terry Harrett, from the Barking and Dagenhain Shrewshury 24 Def. ence Committee, echood May's advice.
Bat as suppurt was growing, the uneas iness of the bureaucracy was abso growing Bramah and the Commonist Party did nat see these moves to extend support for the dispute as something to be welcomed. They are interested in building the hraad ost possible alliance of the so-called propNurses at Highereft Hospital in Birming that they do not want a battle with the union bursticracy, nor do they want to challenge head on the prejudices of many male workers. This is why Bramsh did not report to the mass meeting-where the dec sion to go back was taken on Satunday's rally or on the decision of the Bary District to hold a one-das support strike.
To win at SEt there was no alternative but to tight the union bureaucracy, who had not lifted a finger to support the snmca workers. It was vital to fight against the views of those male workers in the untion, who did not sse the importance of the strugelo for oqual pay.
But rather than fight on these inues Bramah was prepared to preside over the sell-out of this important struggle.