photo. GM COOKSON Would you buy a used Social Contract from this man?
Wage Restraint and Rising unemployment 1975 February July: Social Contract Phase 1 agreed 1976 February July: Social Contract Phase 2 agreed 1977 February July: Social Contract Phase 3 announced 1978 February July: Social Contract Phase 4 announced 1979 February February: Concordat agreed Unemployment in UK 791,000 1,304,400 1,421,800 1,508,700 1,452,006 Percent 3.4 5.5 6.0 6.3 6.1 LABOUR'S CAMPAIGN document Hope for Britain contains much that the left will welcome — particularly the pledge on Cruise and Trident and the statement of intent to withdraw from the EEC. left have little reason to throw their hats in the air. At the heart of the document is a new Social Contract.
Making campaign pledges reality will governmental need a battle. history of defeating left history of defeating DOLCICS The fight for socialist policies needs to COLLUC during and after the general election.
So, the Labour left's uncritical welcome of the campaign document, particularly of the tional Economic Assessment tain.
Contract, discredited •OIC NEA more fully leaves no LADORS campaign is a Trojan horse in which the right wing 'are hiding.
The New Hope resurrects the promise of the 1974 election campaign to 'bring about a fundamental and irreversible shift in the balance of wealth and The New Labour's right wing cannot be happy. But the power in favour of working people alle their families'* The Social Contract of the last Labour governIcil was launched with similar promises on living standards, public ding and unemployment.
Under the Social ConLaCE working class living standards fell faster tha at any time since the second world war Unemployment rose 3.4 per cent when 'phase one' was agreed in July 1975 to 6.4 per cent in July 1978 when 'phase four' was announced Total public spending fell from an index of 100 to 75.3 in the three year: from 1976 to 1979. Thes attacks paved the way for the Tories. There must be no repeat performance The NEA proposes tripartite National Planning Council between employers, unions and government. This will assess the likely growth in the economy and decide on the 'allocation of tion of income between trom employment, rents, social benefits comes'* This will lead to an agreed statement 'within will maud old prices, employment and pay' Underpinning this ap proach is belief in an identity OT interest between workers employers. The document explains:
'Both the government and the trade union movement wil be maintain the momentum on jobs and steady gress on living standards, and yet i both will be concerned that their policies will not result in destruc tive inflation or balance of payments crises. Crisis activities' circle impossible.
in deep crisis In e demands of One has to give way.
for the With the incomes policy. the Social the that, 'ex perience to weigh priorities where make sacrifices...
The continues 'pay will dustry, shortage of willi TUC secretary Len warned against the dangers 'creating expectations the pact the the rUC Although the docu. ment makes much of the need to reduce unemployment, its only reference to reducing hours that •working time reductions will help to maximise the jobs created by output growth' The NEA worked without back the demands working people while the employers press their atjobs and living tacks on standards Statements promising no 'government-imposed incomes policy' no guarantee against the so-called 'voluntary incomes policy' the -used under the Labour government to oppose the Heathrow engineers, the Leyland toollares Port Talbot electricians, the firefighters and many others.
Attacks The 'concordat' agreed between the TUC and the Labour govern. ment on 14 February 1979 led to attacks on the right picket with Jame. Callaghan boasting that he would be happy to cross picket lines The document assue too ... the unions with TUC help will have the respon sibility with the employers ensure...tha disputes conducted with proper regard for the interests of the community accordance with TUC guidelines'.
In the next few months conferences will discuss the NEA. The lef sight up to the cont should fight gress. It is the right wing' Ve shoul light a fire under it. New are ritain A New Hope • Britain. All Partners ourier. Rebuilding Britain, the join Labour Party-TUC statement on the NEA. Copies of both available Labour Party, 150 Walworth Road, London SE17. Steve.
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