There is no need to explain to readers of this journal that the proposals by the government to "reform" the trade unions and trade union legislation are wrong. Just how bad these proposals are [is] demonstrated by the plan to "attach" the wages of militants should they break these projected laws. However, when our anger has [died] down, what should concern us is the working out of a strategy to fight this attack. But to [proceed] certain facts have to be faced up to.
Firstly, the enormity of the crime against the Labour Party and trade unions must be grasped. There is a danger of becoming punch-drunk because of the continued evolution of the Government to the right and the [losing] of one's historical perspective. What Barbara Castle has brought forward is a set of proposals to bring British law into line with the worst features of American trade union legislation, as typified by the Taft-Hartley law.
Secondly, we must consider the [illegible] by the unions to give them a political arm of defence against laws like these. It is inevitable that unless this legislation is fought and beaten tensions will be generated which will threaten the links between the unions and the [illegible].
Thirdly, [this attack on] the Unions is part of a pattern of events [illegible] public opinion polls designed to prove that "the [man in the] street" wants even harsher laws [illegible] Heath's [illegible].
[These are] attempts to whip up hysteria over such things as the hangings in Iraq. All of this is the reflection in [the] field of politics of the profoundly anti-democratic tendencies of modern monopoly capitalism. Unless this drive is met by a massive response all kinds of reactionary forces will be let loose and the [possibility] of a long period of reaction in British politics will be much greater.
This latest attack makes it all the more urgent that forms of action and [organisation] are found which make for a meaningful and offensive [response]. Wide sections of the left are [groping] towards this end.
Two conferences will provide a means to fight for the concept of united action based upon an offensive strategy: the workers control conference in Sheffield, March 4/5, and the National Convention of the Left, in mid-April.
The National Convention of the Left [write to NCL, 11, Fitzroy Square, London W1, for details] has set itself the task of unifying and helping to co-ordinate the left. It seems to be [illegible]. [We urge] all on the left to support these two conferences; those who stay out of [them or have] a sectarian attitude towards them will run the risk of the same fate as those who boycotted October 27th. Whilst working for these two conferences [we] shall endeavour to inject into them [illegible] as part of a wider anti-capitalist strategy based on [illegible] met by immediate action against the Government's [anti-]trade union policies.