delegate to the AUEW National Committee TERRY DUFFY's opening engineering union conference in Eastbourne set the character of the whole National Committee. He made preposterous claims that he and other right wing leaders had done everything to meet Thatcher's attacks on the working class the actual record of capitulation.
This scabbing record of the Duffy leadership in numerous battles the membership was raring TOT example British Leyland, Fords and esocc duv LaU CuCC Scott's seems escaped the attention of the right wing majority.
The right wing voted like clockwork' explained Cliff Williams, youth delegate to the National Committee. The youth unfortunately are not allowed a vote.
'A typical example of Duffy's approach was his explanation of the union's attitude to Tebbit's anti-union laws. He was great distance union andors te 1971 h- endorsed dustrial Relations Act. "Many of you will recall that we had tremendous ilariliclalvll in the batclaimed Duffy. But this was not the way that the rest of the world recalled the events. Militant action actually smashed the Act. This, course, is Duffy desperately to avoid. Duffy's support for "unity" is support to do nothing.
The tactics of the left in most cases played into the "The strategy of the left is based v ryle wale ci wing to supporting of their resolutions. The therefore have to lean over backwards to ensure they don't upset the right wing.
address to the - and blamed the membership for This is disaster. The only way to divide the right wing Is to stand on the shoulders of the mobilisations and militant actions of the membership. This means putting the emphasis on organising the ranks, not manoeuvring at Accordingly, on most Issues. the right 56 to 35. its majority of 56 to 'However, dil issue where there is clear mass resistance — like for example against any witch-hunt in the Labour Party - the right wing block was broken, ' explained Cliff. Duffy's resolution calling for the re-introduction of the proscribed was passed only by the slenderest of majorities.
'The left failed to centre in on the membership's discontent over the scabbing on the Laurence Scott allowed the right wing to rest on its record over Plessey's. The official backing extended here was a direct result of the Laurence Scott battle. But worse, by not focussing on Laurence Scott, the left allowed the question • wares lo og separated out from that of fighting unemplovment. Dutty ha: played on the unemployed situation to avoid a wages fight over the past two years.
The left's push for a concrete figure of £15 for skilled grades was predictably defeated in favour of a vaguely worded resoluDuffy the wages front tion for a 'substantial increase'. This formula gives the right wing room to accept a wage cut for the third year running.
Duffy was quite
plicit: "This decision gives me the elasticity I need bargaining the Employers Federation. We know that the present economic circumstances *This need for "leeway". for Duffy was backed up by une right wing delegates in speeches, said Cliff. the economic climate has been allowed to develop through the sort of inaction and stabs in the back that Duffy and his have been guilty of. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Nothing Lali be expected from the right wing , - using unemployment to avoid a fight on leaders the Tories. But Duffy's attempts to claim a fighting record, and statements that he will I go for a claim *at least in line with infla tion show that the pressure of the member ship is on them.
'What this NC has shown so far', Cliff conCIUCUr that passing resolutions is not the be all-and-end-all. The has to. use the National :as a platform LONIEIELC. from which they can have a political discussion with membership. This means need clear radical and distinct policies based on fighting to mobilise for mass action and backing any fight that aLVeIODs These should then be used to rebuild the left in the union.
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the bargaining will be tough