cases of low-income working families who in line with Government policy had only managed to win increases that matched price rises. In the first year of the Labour Government these families suffered a drop in net disposable income. A one-child family lost out by 60p a week, a two-child family by 56p a week, and a three-child family by 4p a week.
If the present rate of inflation over the last three months continues - as is highly likely then families on social security will still have suffered a decline in income even when social security benefits are increased in November. Since Labour came to office the relentless war to cut social services has continued. Towards the end of 1974 councils were told not to increase spending on repairs and maintenFalling profit ance. In March 1975 the Department of Environment announced that councils would only get £271 million for improvement programmes instead of the £572 million they had requested.
By April cut-backs totalling £65 million were announced in future housing subsidies and capital expenditure. A round £50 million was cut from the housing programme. Now a is the veiled threat of coalition and the alarming growth in unemployment. Of course it was always Healey's intention to intimidate the unions with increased unemployment. And he can afford a smile of self-congratulation, because it has certainly had the desir ed effects on Jones and the other timid bureaucrats of the TUC The proposals of Jones are designed to tie the hands of the workino class movement. Worse still, he their purchasing.
workless total is growing.
Mocracy are collapsing. of more than 60 per cent. back-stabbing at a time when the working class is in the best possible position to impose its demands.
The capitalist economy is in dire crisis. The ruling class without the aid of Wilson and the union bureaucracy could not hope to defeat the organised labour movement.
If Jones succeeds in ramming his policy down the throats of the trade unions it will lead to a decline in living standards. It will strengthen both the hands of the pensation employers and their allies in the Labour Government. Alongside this, unemployment will grow and the social services will wither Jones is saying that because of the crisis, the struggle to improve confidential circular is going around the local authorities which puts tough restrictions on The poorly-paid are getting hammered.
Social security benefits are melting in the hot wind of inflation. Housing programmes are being wiped out. The social services — once the pride of social demSwamped Even the more militant sections of the working class are being swamped by the torrent of price rises. May alone saw a 4.2 per cent increase in the cost-of-living - continued over the year that would mean an annual increase The inexorable drive of prices against wages continues. In the period from December 1974 must be postponed until capitalism recovers its health. Such a policy is disastrous. The crisis of capitalism shows the bankruptey of the system. The task is not to try and prop it up but to fight for its removal.
The way forward is to tight for a sliding scale of wages, to demand a programme of public works, and to insist that all firms threatening redundancies are nationalised, under workers control without com These are the answers to the crisis, not accommodation and collaboration with a decaying capitalist system.
Jeff King until March 1975 wages went up by 5.5 per cent. Prices went up by 7.8 per cent. In four months the gap between wages and prices increased by 2.3p in every pound - before takin the effect of taxes on wages into account. April and May's figures are even worse.
On every single front the working class is having its nose ground into the dust by the social contract. Worst of all, the trade union leaders by their pathetic defence of the social contract legitimise savage cuts in working clas living standards and the dismemberment of th social services.
When Jack Jones pleads for co-operation between the unions and the employers' he is asking for more of the same medicine. The social contract represents co-operation betwee the union bureaucrats, the Confederation of British Industry and the Labour Government It has got the working class into an unholy mess. The task is to break from class collabor ation so that the workers movement is free to pursue its own ends. Tightening their belts Course hav chat It was spend, spend, Costs to it Royal mentin and 2,000 strawberries. only ol note was the pic lads, who are der were sHE Out Tod PICTUR the eager bookies. ROGER BA
deception