A 'TEMPORARY VICTORY' TORIES SAYS HUGH SCANLON

By David Maude our labour correspondent correspon ENGINEERS' president Hugh Scanlon yesterday the 'difficulties' which would surround demands pay rises above the government-imposed limits. Scanlon's surrender came in his keynote speech to could well be completely the national committee of dropped by the end of the his union's engineering year (Parliamentary Press section, meeting at Gallery).

Torquay. No wonder Sir John Donaldson, president of a court Later this week the which has stripped Scanlon's committee is expected to union of £61,000 in fines debate resolutions calling and costs over the last year, control over wages. for increases of up to £15 felt able to tell Glasgow a week, and it will also be businessmen last night that given a little time the unions discussing the vital issues of the Industrial Relations and the court 'can and will' be friends.

Act and the Common Market. The question is: are the Communist Party and its ing class?

On all three issues-pay, supporters, who this union law and Europe- year claim a more than Scanlon has now issued a usually powerful position on fundamental challenge to the engineers' union national committee delegates. committee, going to become Taking yesterday's speech the open friends of Donaldtogether with his recent, son and the Tories this week controversial comments to too? the Parliamentary Press Gal- The way is open for them lery, he has now said: to answer this question, and • It would be idle to pre- the issues could not be tend the government had clearer. not won its battle to impose They can demand that state pay control on the gas Scanion repudiate all collaworkers and others (Tor- boration with the Tories, or quay, yesterday). resign. • Too high a pay claim this And they can put down year would involve the an emergency motion inunion in serious difficulties structing the engineers' exe(Torquay). cutive to insist the TUC make May I the start of a • There should be further General Strike to force the talks with the Tories in an Tories out. attempt to strike a deal with There was no shortage of them over the Industrial 'left' words in Scanlon's Relations Act (Torquay). speech yesterday. • Two amendments to the 'Sooner perhaps than the Act could pave the way for government expects, an exco-operation (Parliamentary plosion point will be reached Press Gallery). it prices and other elements • Trade union attitudes on of the working-class budget the Common Market were continue to rise whilst wage changing, and opposition TURN TO BACK PAGE But who is responsible Mr Scanlon? SCANLON concedes tem- were themselves respon- settlement imposed on 'temporary victory' to the sible for the meagre settle- them? Tories in imposing state ment their leaders accepted No, their determined state last year?

But he leaves open who No, the responsibility union leaders who refused he thinks gave them their lies with the disastrous to fight the government and successes over the miners, plant-by-plant stategy Scan- by a TUC General Council Post Office workers, gas- lon espoused instead of a which cynically isolated men, teachers and others. Is united fight with the miners them. Scanlon blaming the work- which would certainly have And is there some flaw toppled the Tories.

Would he like to say, per- Are the gasmen respon- heroic struggle which justihaps, that the engineers sible for the the Phase Two fies last Friday's treacherSome of Sir John's best friends' TRADE unions will soon AUEW president, that 'Our successes will never the most 'unreasonab be the best of friends with amendments to the Industrial be news, and to give pub- suddenly changed.

Relations Act might pave the licity to the commonsense 'Time and again,' I the National Industrial way for a deal with the which • is talked in sittings son added, 'we fin Relations Court, NIRC government.

He presumably feels that open to the public would persuaded to isolate t! president Sir John Donald- such a deal is certain to gravely embarrass a number real issue they sudden mean the AUEW dropping of people and would not clude that so small son forecast yesterday.

its present refusal to cOAlready 'the spirit of operate in any way with the improving public relations.' resolved between then reform' had reached the court. headquarters of the Amalgamated Union of Engineer- Even in the present un- the court during its 16 ing Workers, at Peckham. settled climate the court's months of existence.

'In the coming months it relationship with most unions This was the private our job to know wh will spread further. The understanding, he told the "meeting for directions', held bargaining will become posi- Glasgow businessmen. tively oriental, but no doubt something will emerge.' 'Given a little more time speaking to Donaldson Glasgow Junior one of friendship.' who WaS it can and will develop into based its behaviour on the said there seem to be Chamber of Commerce, was Hinting at a number of was reasonable. reacting to the recent re- undisclosed deals involving marks of Hugh Scanlon, union leaders, he said:

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Party Building Fund 86a Clapham High St London SW4 7UG FORD engine-plant workers at Dagenham were sent home yesterday because of a continuing dispute involving electrical maintenance workers. The dispute started on Friday when 68 of the electricians walked out after a supervisor had carried out repairs. The maintenance men refused to work again yesterday because they say he was not entitled to do so. imposed on ous statement of the TUC Finance and General Purposes Committee, supported struggle was wound up by by Scanlon, which offers the Tories further victories?

Scanlon's statement is an insult to every section of workers involved in the fight against the Tory pay laws.

We ask Scanlon a straight in the hospital workers' question: who is responsible for the Tories' *temporary victory'? the most 'unreasonable' suddenly changed.

'Time and again, Donaldson added, 'we find that of the court which are not when the parties hav when the parties have been persuaded to isolate the only real issue they suddenly conclude that so small a reassist in the cause of maining difference maining difference can be resolved between themselves. But he did reveal one of The process may 'The process may need a the techniques developed by little further encoura little further encouragement from the court, but it is from the court, but our job to know when and how to do it.' with all parties prior to any In what came cl In what came close to hearing in open court. being an open reply to being an open rel Scanlon's call for Scanlon's call for amendThe court, he said, always ments, the NIRC pr ments, the NIRC president said there seem to be general assumption that everyone agreement • that the agreement • that the 1971 Industrial Relations Act, Industrial Relations which set up the court.

Faced with this attitude which set up the parties who have behaved in could be improved. could be improved.

Press,