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Tories encouraged by union chiefs' retreat Cautious move to anti-union laws

By John Spencer

Workers Press no. 226, 7 August 1970 · scan pages 2, 5

Topics: Tory government, Industrial Relations Act, Ireland

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Despite press attempts to create an impression to the contrary, this fact emerged clearly after Wednesday night's meeting between the Confederation of British Industry and Tory Employment Minister Robert Carr.

The preparation of detailed anti-union proposals to be laid before parliament is already well advanced. We, as The Times Puts it, have, as puts it 'some reservations about the wirdom of implementing all the proposals contained in the Tories' policy document "Fair Deal at Work"'.

This programme provides for the appointment of a Registrar of trade unions to draw up and enforce model rules on unions; enforceable contracts and procedures; the institution of 'cooling-off' perlods and secret ballots in certain strikes; and a code of practice laying down guidelines for collective agreements.

Both the Tories and the employers are agreed about the need to bring in some form of anti-union laws.

the need i bell the cat, but on how to go about this difficult task.

They fear a head-on collision with the working class at the present stage of the class Best results The docks dispute, and the acceptance of Pearson Report by the national delegate conference at the urging transport union leader Jack Jones confirmed the employers in their belief that best results could be obtained by . avoiding a direct showdown .and instead relying heavily on the union leaders' lack of desire to fight.

In the event, they were able to administer a set-back to the dockers without having to bring troops onto the docks and risk forcing Jones to submit.

It is in the light of this experience that the CBI urging Carr to implement a legal framework which would have 'a catalytic rather than a compulsive effect.

The CBI is at pains to spell out what this means.

"The main problem we have to solve, says the report of their Working Party on Industrial Relations legislation, "is how to reverse the trend of increasing industrial action in defiance of collective agreements.' For this reason, it particularly favours bringing in the type of law recommended to the Donovan Commission in 1965, AGE FOUR COL. S make ERENCES MINERS Sunday, September 6 Danum Hotel High St DONCASTER further details write Parsons, 61 Derwent Dri ry Fryston, nr Castlefc Yorkshire. Pickets shelter from the rain r Builders determined DESPITE pouring rain, strikers continued to picket McAlpines at the Barbican site in London yesterday following a dispute between the foreman and the federation steward.

'80 men last week took a decision to strike until the foreman the After seeing site stewards, union officials called a meeting at an hour's notice at which they proposed a return to work following a report from the disputes council'.

The report said negotiations could only begin after such a return.

Officials claimed McAlpine might open up the site to nonunie spite protests from stewards, union officials then forced a vote on the meeting but could not rouse a single supporter.

As one steward said:

'We didn't take action to go back and let McAlpine dictate the tune.' Stewards intend to extend he support already receive rom the other Barbican site Unrest amongst telecommunication MEMBERS of the 8,000Telephonists were yesterday laying plans for their 6 p.m.-8 a.m. token strike-the first in a threatened series of lightning stoppages-in protest against the Post Office's decision to withdraw recognition on September 1.

Details of what form the proposed strike would take were left by the Guild's leaders up to its individual branches.

The issues already complex, are made even knottier by the fact that many Guild members apparently favour a merger vith the London-based Telecommunications Workers' Union - a recently-formed breakaway from the Union of Post Office Workers.

Leaders of the TWU's gas case:

emanded House of Commons July 23. Both men are to be charged under the 1968 Firearms Act.

Present in the court were Michael Foot MP Labour Whitaker Hampstead, and former Lawrence Marks, assistant editor of the 'Observer'.

Ill three were prepared o stand surety for Egan.

- Huey Newton JUST HOURS after being £20,833 bail, all, Black Panther on eader Huey Newton said that he would sentel 'Panther goonst the cowardly American aggressors'.

Newton was speaking at a California conference at wnich de dieaged to continue fighting to build the Black Panthers movement that he helped to found five years 280. was freed following a California supreme Court ruling that re-trial was necessary because of errors made by the judge during his 1968 trial.

This led to his conviction for manslaughter and a of between two send years Newton was held in cus before this raisend had served against militants. nearly two years prior to hi 'elease earlier thi week. to the all-Tory meeting of BY A CORRESPONDENT their country.

organizing committee point out that withdrawal recognition from the Guild makes it seem unlikely the Post Office Board will the Irish workers.

recognize them.

But they insist that the present UPW structure fails completely to cater for telecommunications workers and recount a series of bitter experiences — including the recent suspension from office of militant London telegraphists' branch secretary Ron Beak-which, they claim, prove the seeming impossibility of changing this the inside: Structure from Expelled out.

Some of those whose names appeared on documents proposing the formation of a new union were contacted by UPW organiz- ers' right to organize.

ing secretary A. R. T. Mash, asked to repudiate this call.

Following a meeting last Sunday involving branch officials of the Association of Scientific, Technical and Managerial Stafis from the of the Westminster Tories.

London offices of several commercial cable companies, a bulletin circulated amongst telegraphists at the city's Electra House overseas telegraph headquarters had this to say: necks.

'We are unable to stand idly by and allow the amount , of mechanization now taking place with

absolutely no hint of shorter working hours.

"The whole prospect of automation was fanfared in the 1950s by a promise of more leisure time for the employees. The record of one hour in 11 years replies to that fanfare with a loud raspberry' Other grievances mentioned include earnings Employment and Productivity secret report on industrial relations at Electra House and Post Office attempts to push through job-evaluation without agreement.

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Address.

Fi=Workinn-rlasd A SOCIALIST LABJUR LEAGUE PAMPHLET PRICE Gd petition 'urging Mr Heath to introduce a Bill of Rights for N Ireland, to install democracy over the heads of the Unionist administration in Ulster'.

Not a word about the withdrawal of British troops now maurauding their way across the province in a manner indistinguishable from the old B-Specials.

The fact that Heath and the Ulster Unionists are part of the same imperialist parot based on the partition Ireland, appears to have escaped these reformists.

Predictably, this demand finds ready support in the 'left' circles of the trade union bureaucracy, all of whom are running scared before the lory threat to the unions.

Prominent among the signatories are transport union chiet Jack Jones, who accepted the Pearson Report on the docks only a week ago, and Lawrence Daly •and Francis of the miners' union, both of whom opposed the miners' strike last year. -of fog on coast. Wind easterly, moderate. Normal. Max. 18C (64F). Edi Are, ireland Dry bright period. Wind light, easterly. Normal. Max. 18C (64F).

Outlook for Saturday and Sunday: Rather cloudy with occasional rain in the South and East at first and in N Scotland later. Otherwise dry with sunny spells. Temperatures near normal.

AVAILABLE unity needed to defeat the Tory governme BY 186a, Clapham High

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