The three to two vote of the miners against the National Coal Board's productivity deal has put them right in the forefront of the struggle against the social contract. This vote is a big political defeat for the ruling class, who saw the deal as a way of destroying Up to now the Labour Party leaders have played their cards close to their chest. They preThe vote against the deal has inflicted a stinging defeat on Gormley and co. and is forcing the Labour right-ming out into the open.
if the unions do not toe the line. Last weekend at the Prime Minister's holiday camp, Chequers, accompanied by their "think tank" civil servants, the GRADES the unity of the miners, their toughest opponent in past struggles.
agenda Ferred to let the NUM right-wing make the running out. Healey's Budget has let the cat out of the bag.
Jenkins, Prentice and Williams have been arguing at recent cabinet meetings that the Government the Budget. should openly threaten a statutory incomes policy Over 100 tenante and trada unionists took part last Saturday in the first picket of Islington speculators Prebble's since Judge Forbes's ruling that this - and all other non-industrial pickets - are illegel. The police took the judge's hint and amested four people. But supporters of the campaign will not casily be deterred, and the weakly pickets will go on. It has also been decided to make the one on 7 December a mass picket in support of the right to picket. An IMG spokesperson (inset) appealed for support from this for all trade-unionists in London, drawing a paralial with the recent attack on the Shrewsbury pickets. cabinet ministers put pay laws right on top of their working class.
Williams and her friends know time is running All it offers is a decline in working class living standards. The fraud of the social contract if being exposed as Labour's so-called social reforms are quietly buried beneath the capitalist economics of As the British economy slithers steadily towards disaster the Government realises that voluntary wage restraint will be blown apart by the first big confrontation with a decisive section of the Prebble & Co Photo: ANDREW WIARD (Report) wage claims.
of wages and social benefits claims.
A successful miners' light on wages-be it the suggested £30 rise of MeGahey or Scargill's £42.50will completely destroy any chances the Government has of holding the lid down on other sections Here the miners can set an example to other workers, not only of how to light but on whet issues to fight. This is why it is important that they do not restrict their demands to a simple wage claim. By taking up the demand for a sliding scale applicable not only to themselves but the rest of the working class, particularly the lower paid -they can show the most effective way to fight inflation.
In seeking support for a future struggle over the claim they should approach other workers in the energy industries and transport, not just on solidarity alone but with a view to submitting joint wage By taking up the issue of a joint plan for the running of the energy industries and the establish ment of workers' control, they can take the first steps towards providing alternative workers' solu tions to the capitalist solutions of the Labour FUND DRIVE It's been another magnificen week, taking our tutal to £1392 Dur thanks in perticuler to:
Camden IMG, £50 raised at a party after the hed Weekly Rally: Sheffield IMG, E30; IMG Equity fraction, a further E8.50; and J.N., E200.
Chancellor Denis Healey has seen to it that prices will be going through the roof very shortly. So please send all you can affordbefore It disappears into thin air.
All donations to: RED WEEKLY FUND DRIVE, 182 Pentonville Fload, London, N.1.
In Coventry this weekend, militants active against racism and fascism have their first chance in a long time to get together to discuss the lessons of the recent struggles and the tasks of the future. The setting is appropriate: Kevin Gately who was killed in Red Lion Square oppos ing the National Front was a Warwick student. der fanatics will bang their drums more loudly. And at least a section of workers are in immediate danger of falling under the spell of Powell (and even the NF) because of the unashamedly nationalist and chauvinist basis on which the Labour Party, TUC and Communist Party op pose the Common Market.