STALINISM IN THE EEPTU

THOSE who think the Stalinists of the British Communist Party have changed their spots between the teachers' conference at Scarborough and the electricians' and plumbers' conference at the Isle of Man fall into a carefully-prepared trap.

At Scarborough their treacherous betrayal of the working class was out in the open for everyone to see.

They voted FOR the Tory state pay laws.

They ABSTAINED in a on the one-day strike on May Day. .

At the Isle of Man their tactics seemed to be reversed, but their goal was the same.

They led a phoney 'fight' on the Tory anti-union law and set ineir laces against pr animan Ices and incomes policies from any government.

What was the cruc difference between conferences?

It is that the Stalinists control the leadership of teachers whereas they do not control the electricians.

In "power' their men scrupulousy ana unnesitaungly operate and collaborate in the Tory government's corporate state plans.

That is what they did at the reachers' conference.

Out of 'power' they pose as a bogus opposition.

That is what they did at the electricians' and plumbers' conference.

And there should be no mistake that when we say their opposition to Frank Chapple unwas a pose, it was just that.

How real could a fight be which conspicuously FAILED to mention even ONCE the one issue which incenses all electricians—the Joint Industry Board.

Why didn't the Stalinists call for the break-up of this Board? Why didn't they call for the withdrawal of the EEPTU representatives?

Could it be they didn't raise the JIB because they intend to do a deal with the right wing aimed at pushing Mark Young into Frank Chapple's job?

An ex-Per, the right feel they can rely on him to keep the 'extremists' in check while rallying the 'left' The CP see him as a man they can work with and who will rally the 'left' to policies which, while not their own, will, nine times out of ten, be closely similar.

Not only did the Stalinists consciously and deliberately refuse to raise the issue of burning concern to all electricians but their 'fight' on the Tory • anti-union laws was a sham.

Their refusal to vote for a General Strike stripped bare the real face of their counterrevolutionary policies.

On the very first day of the electricians' and plumbers' conference their supporters sat tight-lipped when a bid by Southampton delegate Arthur Pearse to introduce a motion pledging all possible action to bring down the Tory government was defeated by the right Had the motion succeeded, Mr Pearse would have asked conference to recommend a one-day strike of electricians and plumbers on May Day.

On Tuesday instead of callcall the entire working population into industrial action to bring down the government.' This is the impression the Stalinists want to build up. That is why their members sat silent.

It is why they sat silent while Frank Chapple and Shadow Chancellor Denis Healey 'warned' conference that the Tories were entitled to two more years in office and there was precious little to be done about it.