WHAT WAGE TO LOW-PAID

One of the reasons for state control of wages, we were told by the Tory government's Press agencies, was to help the lower-paid worker.

Since the Tories' state control pay laws have come into force, however, the real picture has been somewhat different-in fact, completely the opposite has taken place.

Figures released recently by the Labour Research Department show quite clearly that the majority of workers whose increases have been stopped are among the lower paid. The huge majority are below the TUC's f20 a week minimum.

Among increases already stopped are those due to 350,000 agricultural workers— the present men's minimum wage in agriculture is £16.20 a week; the 93,000 furniture workers' increase of £3.11 to £3.93 a week was settled on October 24, but has now been held up until January 1. Men there earn a minimum of £18.79 a week. Other sections are even worse off as can be seen from Table A below.

TABLE A *Agriculture *Hollow-ware Silk *Readymade clo. (c) *Dressmaking E & V •Wholesale mantle *Shirt making •Rubber proofed garm. "Corsets (c)

Furniture •Retail food E & W Retail food Scot. •Milk dist. E & W *Retail news. Scot. *Unlicensed cafes Banks «Wages council or wages board. (a) Dates before 6.11.72 are wages council proposals. frozen even though they miss the 12 months only given for previous increase is second stage. TABLE B Biscuits *Perambulators *Paper box •Pin hook and Water Road haulage Multiple grocery General waste Hospital ancillaries Teachers *Wages council or wages I would like information THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE Fill in the form below and send to NATIONAL SECRETARY, SOCIALIST, I ABOUR LEAGUE, 186a CLAPHAM HIGH ST, LONDON SWA 7UG. Name....

Address.... AGREEMEN Previous Increase 17.1.72 16.11.71 3.1.72 13.12.71 6.4.72 20.12.71 13.12.71 10.11.71 3.1.72 1.1.72 20.3.72 3.4.72 15.11.71 10.4.72 NEGOTIATIONS IN No. Employed 70,000 58,000 23,000 120,000 250,000 365,000 FROZEN Increase 1.1.73 6.10.72 1.1.73 20.9.72 31.10.72 12.10.72 20.9.72 5.10.72 30.10.72 1.1.73 5.9.72 6.10.72 14.8.72 13.10.72 8.8.72 1.1.73 PROGRESSR Prev. Incre 3.7.72 31.1.72 8.11.71 5.6.72 16.1.72 5.12.71 24.5.72 1.11.71 24.1.72 13.12.71 1.4.72 As each week of the state pay law passes, more and more workers are beginning to understand just what the Tory 'anti-inflation' package means. The fradulent nature of the so-called 'prices freeze' now stands well exposed.

But the end of the 90 days mentioned in the new law will not bring an end to the Tory government's attacks on workers' rights to decide their level of wages.

Already Heath has talked about the 'next phase' of his economic policy, which he said was 'to change the expectations' of wage and salary earners. In simple languagewage-cutting.

As far as Heath and British capital are concerned, these attacks are the price of entry into the Common Market on lanuary 1 next year. They must try to resolve their crisis by making the working-class housewife, family, youth and unemployed all carry the cost.

Heath's Christmas wish is to cut 'at a stroke' every unnecessary-and necessary— luxury from the working class.

Table B shows the industries where negotiations are now going ahead for pay increases.

Resent Men's linimum f 16.20 13.50 16.05 14.22 14.70 14.22 14.50 13.29 14.70 18.97 13.20 13.50 18.75 12.50 12.67 (b) Assumed to t by days. (c) Dal Men's inimum 17.00 14.40 14.80 15.00 20.10 20.10 17.70 14.00 14.00 17.48 22.67 about Further information has been uncovered of the Tory plan to establish a presidential-style of rule from No I0 Downing Street.

In previous articles we have shown the steady infiltration of top businessmen into civil service in Whitehall.

The scheme is being masterminded by the officers of the Lord Rothschild "Think Tank which operates directly under Heath.

Before moving to his new introduced 'political SeCretary' at the Department of Trade and Industry.

The political nominee was seconded the department from the Tory Party's Central Office and his salary is paid by the Tories. Nevertheless he resides next to the minister's office in the department and is available to give political copies of internal memoaround his department explaining the appointment:

Appointment of Special Assistant to Secretary of State I have decided to appoint a Special Assistant to help me with the political aspects of my work, in particular as it affects the Party outside Parliament. He will keep closely in touch with the Party Organization and will act as a link displacing my own close relationships. 2 I have chosen Mr John Cope for this appointment and he will take up his duties on September 18. He will be located in my private office.

enable Mr Cope undertake his task he will need to be closely in touch with the formulation of departmental policies and decision taking. To this end he will work alongside my Principal Private Secretary. He will attend many Y'am concerned with which and will need to be in direct contact with officials in the Department. As a working member of my private office he will have access to official papers without need for special arrangements being made.

On October 23 Mr John D. Grant (Islington) East asked Davies why, in appointing Cope to his Private Office to assist in the political aspects of his maintain links with che to work servative Party organization issued an instruction that in order to fulfil this commitment Cope should have full access to departmental meetings officials and to official papers, John Davies who has Introduced a "political secretary, seconded from the Tory Party Central Office to give political advice to ministers.

New Park Publications, 186a Clapham High Street, London SW4 including those containing secret or highly confidential information.

Davies replied: 'I issued a Notice to my senior staff about Mr Cope's appointment to inform them of the nature of his duties and to let them know that he was an authorized person to whom official information could be disclosed. Mr Cope is, of course, bound by the Official Secrets Acts in the same way as other people, whether civil servants or not, to whom official information is entrusted.' On October 26 Grant asked the Prime Minister how many government Ministers, in addition to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, have special assistants within their departments with salaries paid by the Conservative Party but with official facilities available to them, including access to official -papers, in political work affecting the Conservative Party outside parliament.

Heath replied: "Two, Sir, and there is an adviser who serves more than one Minister.

In general, they assist Ministers with the broad political aspects of their work' The conclusion to be drawn from Davies' memo and the parliamentary replies is that the Tory ministers have brought their Central Office to Whitehall. Davies has served notice on senior civil servants that they must disclose information to a man paid by the Tory Party to serve in the ministry.

This political nominee will be privy to secret information withheld from the Press, the public and even subordinates in the department. He is not subject to the disciplinary powers of the ministry and it can be appreciated that because he is the minister's right hand man he will be ordering civil servants to carry out duties which will serve the interests of the Tory Party. 'rotsky-a documentary Francis Wyndham ind David King :1.65 includes postage 7UG by