EVER conscious of their self-appointed role as benefactors of the working class, bureaucrats have 'guidelines' for establishing local unemployed workers' centres.
big forward, SICO even though a trifle late, you might think. This is not the case.
When the TUC's plan was first revealed in against unemployment, organised bv Newcastle Trades Council, the 250 delegates threw it out in disgust.
Among the instructions in the guidelines are:
COlLICS should only concern themselves with counselling and advice; contact between the trade unions moting Manpower Sermoting Manpower schemes, and wringing a few and recreational facilities for the unemployed.
• The need for such level of resources would be determittees composed entirely of Teresculalve regional TUCS, trades councils, and full-time officials.
Iron ference last week.
ISTC, the largest steel union, is one of the most right wing and undemocratic.
Only a handful of national conferences have been convened year history, and these recently devised • Centres • once established, local authority help on funding and premises, would be managed by committees composed equally regional nominees and local representatives.
Other groups such voluntary bodies might be also clude representatives the unemployed', the TUC adds.
• Running the centres will be the job of 'full-time and 'other experienced officials conjunction with the TUC and local authorities. Action Should the ployed begin to take action outside the control of these officials, the demands to be informed of any activities 'outside the guidelines... which could damage the interests of the unemoloved or the trade of the campaign for unilateral and for 'the union to actively campaign for the withdrawal the EEC'. union movement, or put at risk the public funding of the centres'.
Rumour has it that the hurriedly cobbled these rules the MSC, when Tory unemployment minister, Prior, threatened to cutoff MSC funds to politic. ally active workers' centres. Policed In return for "Tory gold' bureaucrats gave a guarantee of gooc 'non-political behaviour' behalf of the union officials and backed policed by threats of loss of funding for conduct 'outside TUC guidelines' What could be more convenient for the Tories than having the policing The nd doling out adCus ita more and more workers join the dole queues?
The circulated trades councils and other union bodies with its proposals.
Militants should reject
the TUC's corporatist approach and demand that:
• The campaign for right shifts to the left came at the first day's fringe machings Supporters of Benn's campaign drew over 50 delegates to their meeting, in spite ot denun ciation of the from the conference platform as 'having nothing to do with the ISTC.
There were also veiled to work based on the implementation of the 35-hour week and full support for all workers taking action over closures and given trade union officials, who worried that their jobs will be threatened and their seemingly god-given right to take decisions for us will be taken away-through accountability.
Warned on the jobs TE membership rights, including representation On local trades councils and at the TUC.
• That workers' centres be set up every locality, run by the platform that there will be opposition to closure -this will response.
Executive member Bill Irvine, who proposed the successful anti-EEC resolution, told the meeting: support the policies of Tony Benn.
The best way to get these the unemployed, with active support from the local trades branches, and CLPs.
• Local councils and the government through the MSC, urban aid and similar schemes -should provide funding and premises for such centres. strings attached, in addition to the resources mobilised by the local labour movement.
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inviday deers it the • representatives ot
THE Labour Party leadership battle shook the and Steel Trades Confederation con-