CP has again found itself in a trap, and its policy has depended on the halance of forces at any particular meeting.
At lhe Engineering Voice conference which was attended by Scanion, they were faced with a resolution calling for a national sinke which had big support, but which Scanon opposed.
At this meeting, scured of losing their hase.
She CP voted for a natsonal strike. Al the lobby of the lalks with the employers held only two weuks later, the CP reversed this policy and simply called for support for the position of the Erective and Scanlon. The anly thing which remained constant in the CP'S position was its attempt to find a form of action which would allow it to appear militant n otherwas of leir suppo ten wheat the same Lame avoiding a break with Scanton and the AUEW iCEs.
The policy which was supposed to fill this bill was a national bertime ban. The left' was prepared lu accept this, sence it could only he imposed locally, and the CP hegan to moh ilise its forces. A large conference of engineerThe only way in which the engineers ing convenors in Manchester. initiated by the CP, was to launch the campaign for a nation? overtinie han Right froan the start this was a potentally disastrous policy, which would how lurned groups true even whers, as in the case of the pay claim, of engineng worker against each other, dee to the different wage atructares wathe the industry But 11 was made abolitely rich cos hy the Government imposed lock-out. How are already only working three days a wick" know that very large numbers of militants who However the CP was stilt unwilog. hecause el the allance with Scanion, to go for the obeious policy of a national strike and an the trade union leaderships. including Scanton, alliance with the miners. Al the conference could do was to pass a resolution calling on grantod anert, writes:
first place:
class.
But this w a difficult ob Despito Home Office dentals, the condition of the Winchester arisoners who are on larest strike continues to give cause far concere, Aethe prisoners have growe weaker, keers have stopped coming out of the prisons. The witting around irom prison to prison, and bunscritic procedures hase prevected melties from vising then, The bland assertines by Lie Home Office timt they are bemp keptathe concrs up for the fart that fonce-fooding has turneit ther costence who a bosng lich. The constant vomi Fig, and the force used on Doloans Price in particalar. will kill ber in a very short time, un lows her demand le her lined to Ireland i finish her senteaces Ls viennel do urgency of the situation, the Irish Political Hostages Campsion has drewe up su intcive programme of activities designed to overt the macian pressere and to win the widest amport loi the repatriation of the prisoners The at tritics will include a picket of the trish Emband, In Grosecies Plue WCE, UnsTrida «ll Janeary), to demoed thit the Southern Frish Governcat toke action on behal of the prisoners (St What's On for detals of foribor activities. The Carpaign also intends to lobby MPs. pactoilarly those presenting Trishareas both at thoir conshituency surgeries and at a lobby of Parliament which will probunty like place cin Frida, IN January