ONCE AGAIN WE EXAMINE WHAT THE TORY "PAY LAW' MEANS

MITCHELL IT IS HIGH TIME the political pygmies in the left of the trade un idea that the Heath government is today implementidea that the SORT.

Heath is talking a pe about a permanent, legal structure in the which the capitalist state will decide your wages.

These new laws will be backed up by the legal machinery of the criminal courts and the National Industrial Relations Court, the legal offspring of the Industrial Relations Act.

Defiance of these laws will mean unlimited fines and, in the event of non-payment, could mean severe jail sentences.

When the Communist Party and the so-called International Socialists prattle about a 'freeze' they are guilty of the time-honoured English tradition of talking about the weather when they can't think of anything sensible to say. The 'freeze' and the 'thaw' conjure up images of a temporary, passing aberration in the economy.

But what Heath is planning is a permanent departure from all previous relations between the trade unions, the employers and the government. It is not a freeze', but state intervention into wage-bargaining in an unprecedented way.

When Heath addressed the Lord Mayor's banquet at the Guildhall on Monday night he made perfectly clear that the state pay plan is to be a permanent feature of his 'new Britain'. He told his audience of bankers and businessmen that the next phase of his economic policy was 'to change the expectations' of wage and salary earners.

The 90-day legislation was 'only a beginning' which would be replaced by more embracing state pay regulations.

In taking these steps, Heath has, so to speak, drawn the sword on the working class. And he is now going to war.

Heath's attack on the working class is not simply a British question. It is the price for entry into the Common Market.

It is part of a concentrated attempt by the bankrupt and corrupt leaders of west European capitalism to foist the economic crisis on the backs of the working class.

And if these measures fail, they have advanced plans to impose military or fascist-style dictatorships. The twin aims are best seen in the developments in France where special political unionists and interrogatinfriends, police are now picking up trade about their relatives, friends, political associations and background (see p.ll).

The regroupment of the reactionary monopolists in the Market and the flight of capital from Britain means further attacks on the democratic rights of the working class in this country.

Already there is evidence that Ulster's notorious Special Powers Act may be revised to Militant South Wales shopworkers yesterday lobbied pay talks between leaders and the Multiple Grocers Association in London.

Carrying placards declaring "Pay the rate! Shopworkers frozen for too long!' and 'Shopworkers always pay the price!' they crowded across the entrance to the Department of Employment in St James's Square before going in to put their case to the negotiators. The Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers is claiming rises of £3.50 a week for shop assistants and £5 for managers. A total of 120,000 workers are involved.

Yesterday's 60-strong delegation was VA Greater London Rally THi SHOP LARGes To ALLay Pay ThE composed mainly of women and girl workers from Tesco stores in Neath and Port Talbot. A member of the delegation from Neath told Workers Press that all shopworkers needed a rise: 'At the moment the best-paid girls on the shop floor only get £14.50 a week before deductions' , she said. 'That's for 41 hours and doesn't include the time taken opening and closing the store particularly for getting customers out.' Price increases had made their jobs particularly difficult recently, said another. But this cut little ice with the grocers, who she thought showed little sympathy for their case.

FRECZE 14n?

Speakers:

national secretary)

CONNIE FAHEY ›w tenants' leader) 'ORIN REDGRAVE ROY BATTERSBY (ACTT)

ALAN THORNETT Juty senior steward s Motors Assembly, Cowley, Oxford)

GARY GURMEET (Editor Keep Left)

Chairman:

MIKE BANDA Central Committee) and tenant speakers nal personal capacity)

Admission 15p