NIRC seizes £6,000 from AUEW BLACK DAY FOR TRADE UNIONISM

FOR THE second time in the 12-month history of the National Industrial Relations Court, the state has seized funds belonging to trade union members. Yesterday the bankers for the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers, Hill Samuel, delivered a cheque for £6,000— £5,000 fine plus £1,000 costs-to the NIRC in Chancery Lane.

For trade unionists, however, it is not simply a quesUse unions tion of the money. It is a question of the rights of trade unions to organize and to defend the standard of against 'fascist' living of their millions of members.

The introduction of the Industrial Relations Act and the NIRC is a direct attack on Lynch law-MP these rights won during 200 years of trade union struggle.

The court's attacks on dockers, railwaymen and They first of all misnow the engineers exYEATS poses the falseness of directed their members as to the implications of the those who said the Act Bill and how to fight it. HALF AN HOUR before yesterday's crucial could be ignored. And now they stand debate in the Dail which many observers Every successive judge- paralysed as the legal theft thought could bring down the Lynch government has the effect of of their members' money enormously strengthening takes place. ment, Labour MP Dr John O'Connell called its legal powers. for the mobilization of the Irish labour moveThis was most strikingly In the weeks vital ment unless the government resigned. seen in the cases against leading up sequesthe Transport and General tration of AUEW Dr O'Connell, who is on the Labour Party's left Workers' Union; the funds, these gentlemen wing, described the Bill amending the Offences House of Lords appeal not ere in game pie and wine Against the State Act which MPs were debating only confirmed fines of iscussions with Heath— yesterday afternoon as 'fascist'. €55,000 plus costs on the the man behind the Act and the NIRC. He told me at the Dail: 'It is a vicious piece of T&GWU, but it also upfascist legislation which can be used against anyheld the court's power to body, although ostensibly it is aimed at the IRA. demand that the official Since the Tories first leadership must discipline came to power, the issues 'It is very very dangerous to give any government its militant members. have been in the open. such wide powers. There is growing disquiet among engineers' *fudgements it From dockers and But the Communist Party working people and particularly tenants who have and its revisionist hangersrecently staged a number of marches and this can be confidently expected on have been covering up legislation could be used against them. I think that is the intention. that more fines and for 'lefts' like Scanlon and sequestrations are on the Jones and arguing that I believe Lynch will have to go to the country way. 'pressure' can make the after today because with both the Labour Party Already three transport Tories change their mind. and Fine Gael against it, a government victory could hang on one vote. companies, Heatons, Crad- The Socialist Labour dock's and Panalpina, are League and Workers Press The position of the Dail parties at present is— drawing up a massive com- have been absolutely Fianna Fail, 70 deputies (including the Ceann pensation claim against the opposed to this reformist Comhairle who does not vote except in the event T&GWU and Lord Vestey's mythology. We saiu "No" of a tie); Fine Gael 50; Labour 17; Aontacht Eireann 1 and Independents 5. Midland Cold Storage has to these illusory policies.

gone back to the court. Starting from the inAll opposition parties and a number of Fianna Could there be a more soluble economic and poliFail rebels were expected to vote against the govdamning indictment of the tical crisis of capitalism TO PAGE BACK trade union leaders? on British ar.d interFURZED COUPEE ELESA national scale, we have stated that there can se no possible compromise Heath.

There is-and has been -only one way to deal with the situation: the industrial and political strength of the working class must be mobilized to force the Tories out of office.

Yesterday's seizure of AUEW funds must become the starting point of the biggest campaign since Chartism to re-establish the independence and basic rights of trade unions.

A major step in this direction is the building of Councils of Action in each area to defend trade unions and to prepare to defeat the Tories.

All talks with the Tories must be broken off at once. trade car upon every unionist to strengthen the political campaign which can meet the requirements of the day-force the Tories out!

comment Yeats has written part series on Crisis of leadership which continues today page 4.

It follows his recent researches and interviews in the north and the south of the strife-torn country. Slaughter's two-part article Irish Unity and the British working class starts today on page 8 CEYLON Starting next Monday new series of articles t ck Gale dealing especial th the situation in Ceyic entitled Renegades from Trotskyism Order your copies now!

Telephone: 01-622 7029.