'Our problem is to get an offer to the limit of Phase 3, not to break it." These were the words of Hugh Scanion, speaking on TV last weekend.
On Tuesday, once again on TV, he went on to clarify this statement. According to Scanlon, the national engineering claim just happens. fortuitously' to fall within Phase 3—the problem of breaking through Phase 3 is therefore the concern of local bargaining.
This is not even a half-truth. First of all. the national claim can only be interpreted as being within Phase 3 if nothing but the demand for a £35 basic wage is taken into account, Once the other national demands for a 35-hour week, 4 weeks" holiday, and smashes right through Phase 3. Is Scanlon public. by the NIRC except to send a circular round equal pay for women-are included, the claim ly saying that these demands have now been dropped from the engineering claim?
Moreorer, the basic wage claim can only fail within Phase 3 because many engincering workers are already earning well above the basic. If further local increases are not forthcoming these workers will ger noshing at all out of an increase in the national basic rate.
Is Scanton's statement an open declaration to the employers and the Tory Government that these workers will receive no backing from the union in the fight against Phase 3? Cercainly the local employers will have the combined force of the Engineering Employers' Federation and the Tory Government standing behind them. Such a declaration would thus be nothing less than outright sabotage of the fight for better wages and conditions in the engineering industry. SCANLON MUST EXPLAIN Every militant cust demand that Scanion explain this statement, Every hranch, ete, should send resolations to the Executive Council demanding that the statement be retracted and that a statement be issued saying that there will be no retreat on the full claim. Demands should be made that Scanion attend shop stewards quarterlies to give an explanation of this latest stab in the hack to the membership.
But this kind of retreat before the Torles is not really out of character for Scanlon Ever since he was elected to the office of President of the AUEW he has given the membership a clear lead on nothing The 1972 wages claim was simply thrown hack into the laps of the membership. Nothing was done to fight the fines impused on the union saying do your own thing. Even the misersble one-day protest stoppage did not come trom Scanion's initiative.
When he does make a positive intervention he does not exactly cover humself with glory. He ended up siding with the management during the Ford's strike and sanctioned mass scabbing during last year's clectricians disputo at Chryslers, His talk a few months ago of amendments to the Industrial Relations Act, his suppurt of the TUC-Government talks, and now his apparent acqulescence in the Tory pay laws should make it clear bo militants that Scanion is not someone who can be depended upon to organise a real strugale against the Tory And what will cur friends in the Conmunist Party have in say abour all this? For years the CP has been telling us that Scanion is not only a left-wing progressive and excellent Trades unionist but is actuaily instrumental in witning the fight for socialism. This has caused thei a few headaches when Seanlon has done things the Cruden candal. Now it looks as if they will pet a headache from Scinion' menarks about the engineens" pay daim to Phase 3. ASPIRIN THREAT TO CP But there is a real danger that they will run out of aspirins. Last Tuesday's Morning Star quite correctly denounced the TUC offer to Heath to accept Phase 3 if only he would make an exception of the miners as "playing his game' And who should we find among the villains "playing Heath's game"?-"left-wing progressive Hugh Scanion!
for all cha CP militants sh are going. Scanion's policies are diracy an obitace to the fight against the Torie Esther militants continue to be drapeed rightward by Scanion's treachery or else they break with his policies and fight for the kind of action which will take the working class forward in the struggle to smash the Tory Governm TERRY CRAWFORD issues in order to build a movement with mas