Ine severe dereal suntered by broad Ler candidates in last monto s execuuve elec. tions in the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers looks like being repeated next ycar wach yotus Starts for a succes sor to Ernie Roberts, the present Assistant General Secretary. Roberts is due to retire in 1977, and the Broad Left nationally has decided to run Bob Wright again for this post.
Not only have they chosen a candidate who has twice been decisively defeated by the right wing, but - if the Morning star is any uning to go by - the poncies put forward will be exactly the same as the ones which led to these defeats. While pointing out Wright's trade union expenence and me long membersnip or the Labour Party, the Star fails to mention that Wright was defeated in the executive election by Jerry Dully — wno was neither well-known nor considered even by the right wing as an able trade union negotiator.
Blindness The blindness of the Broad Left on ine meaning or this dereal is rentected in a circular sent out to AUEW members in Birmingham, which simply notes the recent "tragic' defeats and concludes that this a reason for everyone to work harder in the future.
But the real lesson of the Broad Left's defeat is clear: unless there is a break from the politics of internal union manoeuvring, and a clear fight launched for industrial action against unemployment and the £6 limit, then the next election will be another victory for the right wing.
A sman sico m tuc neur unccuor nas been taken by the North London AUEW o stret committee which oreanisca a lobby of the AUEW national committee on Monday to demand that it implement the decision of the national committee carner us year to seck a substantial pay use - irespective or the do umn, whicH was formulated after this decision was taken. Now the task facing militants in the AUEW is to build up action on jobs and pay amongst the rank and file - a ask mat me porces and me tacues or the Broad Left have been incapable of John Graham (Birmingham AUEW) TO O ce, and Tennaco.
Is occupation of the plant possible, and what is your view about nationalisation of RTZ?
T.C: Occupation? Yes, it's possible I consider any company who have such little respect for their workers as RTZ should most certainly be nationalised.
L.W: I would stress this is a persona opinion, but I think that we made a