LABOR

Special to the Tribune

LONDON — The British min-
es strike against the Thatcher
government’s gutting of the coal
industry and tens of thousands of
miners jobs is gathering broader
Support as the Tory government
unleashes a more brutal and vio-

lent stage in its war against them.

As the miners stuck to their

guns refusing to negotiate a single

pit closure With the government-
run National Coal Board, the
NCB backed by the government
and its Police continues to try to
shift coal around the country to
various plants which haven't as
yet joined the strike.

Ina scene described by miners’
president Arthur Scargill as ‘‘al-
most unbelievable”’ in its brutal-

ity, May 30, club swinging police.

mounted on horses charged a
crowd of some 7,000 miners pic-
keting the Orgreave coking plant.

British Steel Corporation, in an
act of class solidarity with the
Tory NCB coal bosses ordered
coking coal from the Orgreave

plant for use in its Scunthorpe
steel mill.

The miners point out that the
Scunthorpe mills already were

THATCHER LAUNCHES ATTACK ON MINERS

Appeal for picket support

getting enough coking coal by an
agreement with the Triple Al-
liance of miners, railway workers
and the steel workers to prevent
any damage to the steel furnaces.

The miners who turned out at
Orgreave to block the shipment
were confronted by mounted
police, riot squads and guard
dogs.

Scargill Arrested

The following day Scargill him-
self was arrested outside the Or-
greave gates and within hours
more than 3,000 demonstrators
were again on the streets battling

_ the police. Lengths of wire were
strung across the roads at the

height of riders necks and tele-
phone poles were knocked down
and used as battering rams against
police lines.

The NCB’s plans could see as
many as 180,000 jobs disappear as
the Tory government seeks to
rationalize the coal industry at the
people’s expense.

Scottish NUM leader Mick
McGahey released a secret NCB
document May 30 that showed
the possible slashing of 4,000
miners jobs in Scotland over the
next two year.

The NUM has offered its own
comprehensive alternative to the
pit closures that would modernize
the industry and create jobs on
the basis of Britain’s unlimited
coal reserves. This includes
liquification — turning coal into
oil — combined heat and power,
using the heat from coal fired
power stations to pipe into
schools, hospitals, factories and
homes as another heating source,
and cancellation by the govern-
ment of the multi-billion dollar
coal debt.

Further the NUM points out
that more than $2 billion has al-
ready been lost to the British
economy in lost production, and
that this amounts to about six
times what it would cost to keep
the threatened pits open.

Meanwhile solidarity for the
miners is gathering strength
throughout Britain with practical
aid to the miners and their families
as well as picket line support
being organized. June 12 has been
set as a Day of Action in Wales in
support of the NUM’s campaign
to save the pits and preserve the
jobs of future generations of
British miners. 3

Police arrest mine workers leader
Arthur Scargill (right) injured
striker being led away following
mounted charge by cops.

Be

_ Move into action on CLC program

In 1982 the leadership of the Canadian Labor Congress
led the 14th convention in Winnipeg to a militant
unanimous decision for a united fight against concessions
and wage controls. Ei

In 1984 it was the delegates to the 15th CLC con-
vention in Montreal who provided the leadership to forge
a nine-point Action Program to provide the offensive and
defensive muscle to power labor’s fightback over the next
two year period.

What a difference two years can make.

It was by and large, a weak and flabby leadership
which presided over this convention, more intent on
getting through and getting re-elected than in uniting,
expanding and mobilizing its ranks for mass struggles
against the insatiable greedy offensive of monopoly.

President McDermott, who opened the 1982 con-
vention with an inspiring call for action and unity, led off
the 1984 convention with an unconvincing defence of the
execulive’s actions over the past two years and alengthy
reiteration of his thesis that the solution to all labor’s
problems lies in the re-election of the NDP.

It Temained for the 2,400 delegates to take the con-
vention back to its 1982 militancy and unite the move-
ment around a nine-point Action Program, which can
put the trade unions where they belong, at the head of a
passive fightback by labor and all democratic Cana-

ns. x

The importance of recording the source of impetus for

the fightback action program lies, not so much in placing
either blame or glory, but rather in pinpointing what is
needed to ensure the plan is put.into action.

Affiliates Fought Concessions

If anyone should say it is cynical to even suggest,
when the ink is not yet dry on the Action Program, that
the leadership cannot be trusted to carry it through, let us
oe ourselves what happened to the decisions of

It is true there was a fairly good record in Canada on
rejecting concessions. However, there is not too much to
show that this resulted from any massive intervention by
the CLC leadership. ;

Rather the minutes of the CLC executive, as well as
materials and directives issued by the Congress leader-
ship between 1982 and 84 would lead one to the con-
clusion that while the no concession call was issued by
the convention, it was carried through, by and large, by
each of the affiliates, largely under the inspiration pro-
vided by the UAW which broke with its U.S: leadership
and stood its ground, largely, against concessions in
Canada.

William Stewart

On the second and equally important question of wage
controls the Congress leadership gave no leadership
whatsoever. Mass action and campaigns indicated at the
82 convention never materialized and it was a divided
and demoralized movement which stood by while
governments connived with big business to rob them of
gains made over many years.

No single question so seriously weakened the spirit of
the Canadian trade union movement than this dismal
response to monopoly’s attack. It was however not even
mentioned in. Dennis McDermott’s opening address. It
was as if it had not even happened.

We remind ourselves of this at this time because it is
the same leadership, less Jean-Claude Parrot, which is to
be in charge of an even more ambitious fightback pro-
gram whose intent is to turn things around for the work-
ing people.

Hard-Headed Realization

What is involved here is not cynicism but hard-headed
realization that the same kind of pressure exerted by the
delegates to this convention which brought forth the
Action Program, will be required immediately and con-
sistently if the program is to be carried through. It was in
this very spirit that J.C. Parrot took the floor after his
narrow defeat for re-election, to call for the united effort |
of all the affiliates to breathe life into the decisions of the
convention.

In his opening address Dennis McDermott indicated
he would be open to suggestions for a fall conference of
all affiliates to plan a campaign for the shorter work week
in Canada. He should be besieged with requests for such
a campaign. When is the March for Jobs to be held —
this fall? since it is to be preceded by provincial marches
and local marches there can be no time wasted in
announcing the date and beginning the plans.

What are the concrete proposals for the organization
of the unorganized to be undertaken by the CLC? So far
it has left this entirely up to provincial federations. Now it
is committed to act. When? Where? How? What about
the organization of the unorganized promised in the pro-
gram? How about action to bring in the many unions

unaffiliated to the Congress, kept out because of juris-
dictional inner disputes?

Here too the Congress leadership has been instructed
to act quickly and decisively.

What about the Solidarity Coalitions which the

‘Congress has been instructed to help organize and

strengthen? The list goes on. :

The program decided on by the convention requires a
leadership committed to mass, united, militant workers
struggle. Events and experience has proven that a clear
majority of the present executive would just as soon fry
in hell as lead such battles. Clearly it will require the
intervention of the rank and file and local union leader-
ship, all the progressives, and not least of all the very
influential Action Caucus, to reinforce those healthy
elements on the executive who support the Action Pro-
gram and want to see it carried out.

By themselves they cannot do it, with mass pressure
from below they can force the leadership to carry
through on the decisions of the convention.

Into Action Now!

There was a peculiar quality to the recent convention,
almost as if it were sort of primary for the next CLC
convention where it is expected President McDermott
will step down and a new leadership will emerge.

The vote recorded for Joy Thorkelson an officer of the
United Fisherman’s union against Jack Munro, head of
the west coast IWA gave some indication of the feelin
of the delegates. :

Sister Thorkelson is a powerful young militant trade
union leader, but relatively unknown in CLC circles. She

polled 874 votes, out of some 1,900 delegates who voted :

in the election for general vice-president. -

This clearly showed the displeasure of the delegates
with thekind of labor statesmanship expressed by Munro,
and it must be said, many other top leaders. of the
CEC: : ;

The next convention in 1986 is likely to go much
further in dealing with this process of change in the trade
union movement in Canada. The leadership will indeed
be judged by how they react collectively, and as in-
dividuals to the fine Action Program inspired by the
delegates to the 1984 convention. :

More importantly, however, the entire fightback
movement and the living, working and social conditions
of all Canadian working people will be affected by the
success of the program. ~

The issue is far too important to be left, alone, in the
hands of the executive, or executive council of the CLC:
Into action now for the CLC Action Program!

PACIFIC TRIBUNE, JUNE 13, 1984 e 7