Harry wicholas was guest speaker at Hull's May Day. Last year enormous effort in publicity, offical union "floats", the complete turn-out of Labour's Aldermen, Councillors, trade union officials, etc., greeted Harold Wilson-when-he--came--to face a barrage from the Vietnam demonstrators, This time, with sn "anti-incomes policy" union leader, there was active discouragement from the local establishment to the whole idea of a parade, and only a handful of the hierarchy were presente This did, however, mean that the left's banners and presence were most prominent$ “Solidarity with the Vietnam NLF", "Attack profits, not wages", "Hands off the unions", and "Rhodesia, one man, one vote " were amongst the slogans, whilst several NLF flags were carried ~ carried incidentally along the shortest possible route that the official organisars could contrive. The procession was visible to the public for about fifteen mintes} CSE's local branch produced an open letter to Harry Nicholas, extracts of which we print below, which was distributed to all on the march, The speaker, moreover, felt obliged to reject the leaflet's point that the TGWU's present line on the docks' question was highly ambiguous, He correctly stated that the union's broadsheet on the industry had said that they would campaign for an extension of public ownership alongside their approsch to Devlin, What he failed to refute was our point that it is impossible to put Devlin and public ownership alongside one another, They are incompatible. Kevin McNamara, M.P. for North Hull, in his speech to the rally, demanded early nationalisation of the industry but did not refer to Devlin, The TGWU really mst set about repairing this sizeable dent in its reputation as a left leader, "An open letter to Harry Nicholas.eee. May Day is the day when the working classes of the whole world re-affirm their internationalism, It is also the day on which we review our achievements and press for advances at home,...Internationally, Labour's first concern must be the Vietnam War. Rightly, you union...opposes theLabour Government's shameful support of American atrocities against the common people in that crippled country. Is this enough? Surely you should recognise openly that the Vietnam War-is.a part of the colonial revolution against tyranny and foreign capitalist domination, That it deserves the support of socialists, workers and trade unions everywhere, Surely your union should stand for solidarity with the Vietnamese people. "On the industrial front, the TGWU has been amongst the opponents of the Government's incomes policy and the Early Warning Bill. Socialists share your view that whilst << fighting to destroy Toryism at elections, we should maintain a vigorous and effective. opposition to Tory policies when they are adopted by a Labour Government. But it is up to those who choose opposition to Government policy to oppose it in practice. And it is in practice that the TGWU's leadership has failed to match the militancy of policy declarations?... "Hull Fishermen, Recently, Hull's fishermen...built up a militant campaign for 100% unionism, for TGWU membership." (but the) "union failed to make the strike Official...
bu: : The TGWU acceptsan anti-strike clause in the Bonus Agreement for Municipal Busmen, which allows employers to fine strikers. Why?....What is the TGWU doing to pursue the Busmen's Pay Claim?.eees The dockers and Devlin: The TGWU has flooded the docks with pro-Devlin literature Yet it claims to be FOR nationalisation and an extension of the dockers' power over the industry... The Incomes policy: Opposition to the incomes policy is growing. Yet your union is doing nothing to help or guide it. Instead, your statements stress increasing "productivity". Its good that you demand the power of shop stewards to investigate and report backward managements, Hycellent to call for the opening of the books But the steward is powerless to make his inspection role effective without union help. .." The leaflets ends by calling on the union to fight along a firm left line.