Scottish TUC clash on incomes

policy From BOB SHAW TRADE union leaders in- Labes. They were a doceeze tervened to tone down a wages. They were advocating, clash on George Brown's he said, a policy that would incomes policy at the annual The latter must be earned by conference of the Scottish improving productivity and not Trades Union Congress which by increasing prices. He was held at Rothesay last pointed to the Budget as an week. example of 'self-evident fairHarry Nicholas, acting The 'fairness' of the Budget general secretary of the Trans- is represented by the imposinort and General Workers' иллс MURINALL TY VALINAU Union and a member of the Executive Committee of the Trades Union Congress, speaking in favour of the remitting of the much diluted composite resolution, cynically remarked that the delegates would be judged by what they said at the conference and not what was in the resolution.

Nicholas went on to say: I doubt if you all understand what the norm of 34 per cent means, and that it includes increases in the cost of living, lengthened holidays, and the like.' But the resolution endorsed the government's economic policies, merely expressing inability to accept a wage freeze and urging the government to take into account the lowness of wages in many industries.

INDICATION

The words of Nicholas and the manipulation of the resolution at the Scottish Trades Union Congress is a clear indication that the trade union leadership intend to try and head off militant opposition to the policies of George Brown.

Brown had previously adessed the conference and nied any intention by the cover all incomes and profits.

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con o1 tou mion in taxation which means a cut in real wages. It is also part of a drive in industry to hold down wages whilst forcing through rationalisation measures.

An example was given by the representative of the Draughtsmen's and Allied Technicians' Association who pointed out that at Barclay Curle's shipyard a decision has been taken to concentrate their design department in Tyneside.

POLICIES

Policies put forward at the conference to deal with the economic crisis were either the usual reformist demands, such as a programme of scrap and build for the shipyards, and the building of a new tinplate mill for Scotland, or they were put in such a way as to be useless-but acceptable to the right-wing leadership.

A resolution was passed calling for the nationalization of the shipyards but nothing was said about what should be done with Brown and Wilson who would fight against such a policy to the last ditch.

A resolution for the nationalization of the car industry, on the other hand, was too hot to be allowed to go to a vote.