AND Boyd, who has a long record of service to the right wing and is notorious for his strike-breaking activities, got a record 164,276 6 votes against 96,216 or the Broad Left candidate Bob Wright. This is a clear thumbs down sign by the Union's members to the Scanlon leadership of the AUEW When Scanlon took over the presidency of the AUEW in 1967 the members expected results in the form of higher wages and hetter conditions Howauer the SUNBEAM S militancy reaching a new peak in the union, a national wages strug gle was launched. But instead of co-ordinating this on a national scale, the Scanlon leadership supported by. the Communist Party - left the initiative up to the local areas. Long, bitter, drawn out strikes took place in areas like Manchester. But in other ittees waged no struggle at all. The employers who were not In 1973 the engineers' wage claim was being put in at the same time as the miners. A weak Tory Government was faced not just by the miners but also by the threat of action from both the AUEW and the rail unions. A general strike situation was on the agenda. Both the empl oyers and the Government could have been driven against the wall.
Instead the AUEW kept quiet -proposing only an overtime ban once the three day week was over! The miners went into action and rolled the Government over, winning a big wage claim.
Since the advent of the social contract, Scanlon has taken particular care to avoid either a showdown with the Government or any public declarations for a campaign against wage restraint.
A complete failure to produce the goods - this year's settlement for 30 per cent on the basic rate meant a wage cut for most members, who got very little because they were already on higher rates -has led to a growing disenchantement and left the members open to the propaganda of the capitalist press.
EASY TASK
If the 'left" leaders of the union cannot produce the goods then there is no reason why the rank and file should vote for communists. Boyd therefore had an easy task from the beginning. He could play on anti-communism.
The AUEW elections give a salutary lesson to the left. If you do not fight, then the only ones to gain will Benn and rely on Tory votes in order to. pass the needed measures in Parliament for suitably anti-working class measures every other resort first. ed point blank with the coalition decision.
him that he can appeal over the heads of the Labour left. from the Labour Party of anyone advocating any form of coalition.
left must be resisted.
red weekly 29 may 1975
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WANT BOSSES