*Individual scabs can bring in the Previously employers could do so.
CURBS THE RIGHT TO STRIKE The Bill drastically reduces the right to strike. Only industrial action against an immediate employer will be legal. *Blacking goods, organising a cross someone line supporting outside the UK become illegal. *'Political' strikes outlawed: so striking against government policies, cuts and against trade South Africa can bring courts down on you.
UNION ORGANISATION UNDER ATTACK It will be illegal for employers to sack an employee for nonmembership of a union unless 85 per cent of the workforce (by secret ballot, have voted for such an agree*Closed shop will be outlawed *A firm can employees without sued for unfair dismissal. But should a union against a non-union member persuade them you've guessed it, it's illegal. 'Union-only' tracts will be banned.
ENCOURAGING UNION-BUSTING A f2m fund will be established to 'compensate' those scabs sacked for refusing to join a union in the last five years There is a grand total of 400 people who will benefit from this clause, while 4 million are thrown out of work by Tebbit go real aim is es.
real aim courage organisations like the 'National Association Freedom' (now Association)
Grunwick's Ward to whip up an anti-union climate.
Judges be acting 'in accordance with popular demand restraint of arbitrary powers.
Socialist Challenge 18 February 1982 page 8 only refusing else's picket workers all this will also oTe against unemplovment, Chile or the bankrupt shackle Led.
LIlc legislation arrangements Unions. dismiss striking being lesson?
take action to clauses in conunions en- of for Freedom which Was George can then caim to for the alternative. union for their rights from the day The bosses they were born. tried to ban them in the 1830s, them in them in 1927, smash them in 1972. They failUnion members have had to fight their own leaders tor their rights. Ine shop stewards were formed to break TUCs wartime industrial truce in 1914. In 1949 Labour used wartime 1o bring dockers to court.
And in 1969 the union and labour left wings united to defeat Wilson's anti-union laws through the Liaison Committee for the Defence of Trade Have the bosses learned their They've prepared the ground with unemployment. They use SDP as insurance against a repeal of But most important of all, Tebbit's Bill is a political attack that aims to build up reactionary popular feeling, isolate the militants and split the It isn't an industrial relations act: it's an Employment Bill. The Tories say they're defending 400 poor op Dreause say didnt join unions. They scabs who their say the 'unions have too much power' and are wrecking the economy. Like all clever tyrants they want to convince the frustrated 'little people' the country that they defend freedom horror that will follow ner cowla Tebbit is recruiting a scabs' army professionals and self-employed. And he'd be hapov to sign un demoralised workers who can be made to blame "strong unions' for their condition.
His arguments are bullshit, but some people will swallow anything Of course, private capital is causing economic decline but the unions and Labour Party haven't come up with.a clear, democratic and planned Of course the black democracy am tre amons ac 1902. and confusion by using the courts.
is an attack on parliament.
should override their hands.
smash Tebbit as they did Heath they choose.
Lne campaign 1971-72.
to use the new law.
jobs when enolen that "there are clear of funds at risk 'sorry, courts or slute parliament's name.
five dockers, and the NE( Tories at- This kind of resistance Bill Keys demands of a amend the associations;
Appeal purposes.
fend it — but the right wing in the Labour Party have muddied up this whole issue by anti-democratic practices and smear campaigns against The Tories aim to cash in on this Ther will claim that resisting an unjust law • Lord Denning has already proved the courts' value. He even says they if necessary. He is elected by no-one and accountable to his paymasters. If the labour movement accepts the Tories' term of reference it will play right into But these terms of reference are also accepted by Labour's right wing. An The TUCand Labour Party can But Len Murray and the AUEW leaders are not calling for a same kind as They want to have talks with the CBI and persuade employers not This is perfect for the Tories. will place a selective weapon in the bosses' hands which will be used for steady attrition, in selected test cases. The Economist explains what comes next: 'The impact is meant to come lean advisers to tell union executives exist for union precedents that such-and-such a strike could put our Then the Duffys and Weighells of this world will go to disputes and say brothers and sisters • we'd love io help hut our hands are tied' This relates directly to the fight in Foot says he opporat this means montic with the extraparliamentary action.
which speak This is glaring hypocrisy. In 1972 the TUC called a general strike to free cluding Foot - ununimous/ hacked which to law and bit. Foot's witch-hunt is innoculating the labour movement against Bill Keys.
But Foot leads the NEC and Murray leads the TUC. The Tories will exploit this weakness. Tebbit's bill is an audacious gamble designed to set the labour leaders against the rank and file, and built up reactionary popular feeling to isolate workers defending their rights.
It is a political manoeuvre which calls for a political response. Much more than the right to strike is at stake - if union organisation is allowed ic fall into Tebbit's legal meat-grinder. we will lose the weapon which ha: won us every democratic right we now have.
Tearing up Bankrupting agreements union funds FIGHT THE YOUR NEXT GOVERNMENT
BILL to break the law By Bill Keys
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the Bill? THE UNIONS have had to fight
workers, relating
make provision respect to awards by industrial tribunals and the procedure of the for connected
Tribunal; Presented by Mr. Secretary Tebbit supported by ... Secretary Whitelaw, • Exchequer,
OUR I NO NO