LCDTU calls conference
Socialist Organiser1982 1982-11-25Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 13 →
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The Liaison Committee for the Defence of Trade Unions has called a conference against the Tebbit law for December 4 at County Hall, London SE1. Credentials for delegates from bona fide trade union organisations can be obtained from LCDIU, 148 Glenny Road, Barking, Essex.
The LCDIU has organised. a number of demonstrations against the Tebbit law, and has sufficient weight in the labour movement to play a significant role in mobilising a But, dominated by the Communist Party and conditioned by the CP's focus on seeking left influence within the trade union bureaucracy and relying on left officials, the LCDTU has confined itself to promoting a more militant interpretation of the TUC's weak-kneed eight-point plan.
It has not campaingned for trade union leaders to break collaboration with the Tories, for general strikes against Tebbit (one day or indefinite), or for commitments to all-out action in the event of trade unionists being threatened with The LCDTU also has generally run its conferences undemocratically, presenting a statement from the platform Socialist Organiser recommends ieaders to urge trade union branches to send delegates with the aim of arguing for a democratic discussion and a fighting policy. fight. jail under the law.
with no possibility of amendments.
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Socialist Organiser no. 110 November 25 1982 Page 14 -Alan Thornett victimised BETRAYED -BY BL workers have seen a lot of sell-outs, but few can have been more slick and polished than the efforts of TGWU Oxford District Secretary David Buckle in selling out the struggle to defend Alan Thornett last week.
His long experience certainly showed from the moment he took control of events. He refused to publicly defend-Alan Thornett and when the shop stewards defended him instead, he attacked them and denounced their statement.
He conspired with higher officials in the TGWU to call the mass meeting at the worst possible moment and then refused to attend it.
From the moment BL made their move to sack Alan Thornett on November 11, the full resources of both the Company and the Transport and General Workers Union swung into action to notice (required under BL procedure) of "possible" industrial action. It was, according to those at the conference, the first time management side showed any interest in the proceedings.
They need not have worried, however. The five days' notice was not the start of a build-up towards strike action, but the first move in a sophisticated sellout.
When Derek Robinson was sacked the spontaneous walk-out was made official immediately by the TGWU. Here, the collapse of the shop stewards movement in the recent period made a spontaneous walk-out at plant level very unlikely. But timing remained crucial. The quicker the membership was involved the better.