'WARNING - it is takeover time at our most vital single union, advised a Daily Express headline last week, in the run-up to the annual conterence ot the Post Office Engineering Union.
With the Broad Left in the union holding nine of the seats on the executive, and hands of the right, the Tory press has due cause for anxiety.
The express noted tnat the union moderate alliance in the Labour keystone Party'. On the eve ference the Broad Left is holding public meeting Westminster POEU Benn, wole Mainstream aroun is to be ad dressed by Denis Healey The left-right ahead and the Post Office bosses 14 in the soon become law, nanding ovel hive-oft bits of the Post Office, the especially side, to the Tories big business con- backers.
Tony limits policy has forced the PO the right-wing Workers Contest will finally be decided in the battles the Tories The Tories' Telecoms Bill will to Sir Keith Joseph the power to the valuable telecoms government's cashinvestment programme. But it wants to recoup losses through higher charges and lower wages for PO This year's pay offer is only 10 per cent, with 2 per cent productivity thrown in as a sweetener.
Iviore and more enaineers art tead he conference fighting conference tion to secure a 35-hour week and to defeat the Telecoms Bill.
Other motions call for support for Tony Benn in the deputy leadership election; backing for CND, and for positive action on unions which are going i alone. The should generalise the struggle.
The should be leading for reduction in hours and the retirement age.
should set ourselves firmly against escalating overtime and redundancy programmes.
The March looks in danger of becoming a huge publicity giving no lead to workers who face redundancv now The march may well result shows we won't meekly aiept a return to the we nave r ensure campaign doesn't away after the march.
It is a sad reflection i the labour movement tha the Lee Jeans occupatie had to wait three month:
won officia recognition. Like UCS Fi there • Wall fight redundancies noi But it's a blondy hard one We should also remind were fighting a Labour governover 35 hours. So it's no: enough saply to return Labour government committed to socialist pureles.
Socialist Chailenge 28 iMay 1481
the Italian