CRUNCH ON POWER MEN'S WAGES TODAY

→ 1A → 5 KODAK SARETY MLA Nervous smiles and grimaces from TUC secretary Victor Feather (I) at fonday's post-talks Press conference with Chancellor Anthony Barber (centre) and the CBI's W. O. Campbell Adamson (r). BETWEEN May 16 and August 22 this year the food price index rose by 3.6 per cent, it was announced in parliament yesterday. Tory Minister of Agriculture James Prior claimed that fresh fruit and other imported food stuffs reached abnormally high levels because of the dock strike.

But Labour Shadow 1 Agriculture Minister Fred Peart accused the Tories of d prices. 'You deli of your way declared Peart, leclared policy. lockers.'

THE FIRST TEST of the go come today when leaders of ment for talks over a £5.50 government's insistence that kept down to a fixed ceiling.

The Electricity Concil are likely to hold back any offer until after the October 26 summit between the TUC, the Tories and the big employers, which will attempt to work out a wages and prices plan to cover the next 12 months.

But any delays may lead to industrial action in the industry-an expression of the growing revolt by workers against any state control of wages.

Militants in the industry have already stated that a work-to-rule could be imposed if no satisfactory offer was made today.

Frank Chapple, right-wing leader of the electricians' union, has already reflected this pressure by a a public attack on any

wage increases. has made it clear that the TUC will not be allowed to dictate wage increases to his union.

Today's negotiations, the Electricity Council's Millbank headquarters, London, will start with the two sides meeting separately to consider the impact of Monday's talks at Chequers between the TUC, the employers and the Tories.

The Council, for there own part, consider it impossible to come forward with a firm offer until the 'fog' surrounding the Tory state pay plan lifts.

A Council spokesman said yesterday: 'Even in normal circumstances one would not expect a settlement at this meeting. In these confused circumstances more information is needed.' This would come he said after Thursday, October 26, when the results of the government-TUC talks were known.

This hard line will put Chapple in the hot seat. He has said the €5.50 claim is justified and hinted he will not accept any interference from other parties like the Tories or the TUC.

The rank and file in the industry will certainly be pressing forward for action on the basis of this view.

If they do, they will join the growing number of workers who are demonstrating they will not tolerate any state control over their wages.

These include oil workers at Llandarcy-who yesterday sent a message their union leaders demanding all talks with the Tories broken off-miners, who are angry at the postponement of their own claim, and London busmen, who also learned their own claim would be Deliberately raising berately went out to raise prices, "That was your Do not blame the

vernment's drive to impose state control of wages will 110,000 electricity power workers will meet managewage claim. Dominating the discussions will be the pay increases in the nationalized industries should be

Chapple : Leads talks delayed because of next Thursday's meeting.

This growing mass movement is in direct conflict with the TUC leaders. They are now preparing to discuss the details with the Tories and the employers over a corporate-state machinery to control wages over the next 12 months.

On Monday evening, after the Chequers talks, a visibly nervous Victor Feather said the TUC was 'very interested' in the employers proposal for a watchdog board over wages and prices.

This was despite the fact that the unions would be in a minority against the employers and the government on the body and despite the fact that Tory Chancellor Anthony Barber made it clear that the government had way forwe for all SUNDAY OCTOBER 22 TOWN HALL, BIRMINGHAM Send for delegates' and observers' credentials from: Conference Secretary, R. Goldstein, 103 Lewis Flats, Dalston Lane, London E8 HAL TRAM PROM EUSTOM, LONDON, $1.50. COACHES Union Branch Names, addresses and No of enclose f as delegates

discarded one bargaining counter of the unions-a change in the Industrial Relations Act.

Feather's reactions show that many trade union leaders have swallowed whole the principle of corporate state control over wages.

One leading left winger-who was present at Chequers on Monday—is even talking in terms of a level of wage increases imposed by law. This would be, he argues, the only way to get his membership to accept wage

The government is desperately playıng for time, anticipating entry into Europe, where its attack on the working class will be fortified by the most reactionary

The TUC is co-operating completely with this strategy and attempting to hold back wage struggles.

This treacherous coalition can only be broken by the mass movement over wages. Workers everywhere must begin this fight now and press forward with their justified claims.

This coming battle will be the major topic at the All Trades Unions Alliance conference, this Sunday where the building of a revolutionary alternative leadership to Stalinism and reformism will be discussed.

ATUA CONFERENCE unionists 10-30 a.m foes Signature

October 18, 1972