dustries chief Howard Davies' speech at the TUC lies growing opposition to the government's disastrous economic policies, now increasingly expressed by many top bosses.
A string of leading businessmen -badly savaged by the deepening recession - have made outspoken public attacks on the Tories, putting themselves formally to the left of Labour's front bench.
* Brian Pearse (chief executive of Midland Bank) and Sir Denys Henderson (chair of ICI) are openly calling for devaluation.
* Sir Clifford Chetwood (chair of Wimpey) and arch-Thatcherite Amstrad tycoon Alan Sugar have both slammed the Tories for prioritising anti-inflation measures, demanding expansionary policies instead.
On the surface, Davies' speech simply reflects the current political conjuncture. But at a deeper level it must to be set against the current drive to break Labour's links with the Davies sweetened his public sec. for pay restraint call with talk of 'social Bill Morris: leading his members a merry dance dialogue' and demands for more public spending on areas like transport and training.
As TGWU general secretary Bill Morris commented, 80 per cent of the statement could have been written by any member of the general council.
The TUC clearly sees its courtship of the employers' organisation as a step towards the 'social partnership' on the German model, with the unions playing a junior role in restructuring the British economy. crystal clear for his audience. The CBI sees three areas for dialogue with the TUC, on the express condition that unions 'share our general analysis.' The first was manufacturing competitiveness, with 'pay increases settled in the light of the needs of business in international markets, and not by reference to some going rate.' The second was platitudes on education and training. Significantly, the third was 'Europe' spelt out as common backing for Maastricht. If that's the dialogue offer, the labour movement is better keeping its trap firmly shut.
Javies' concluded: I very muc ope you did not agree with all of (the speech). If the TUC and CBl were to be at one on all points our members, and yours, might wonder what we did with our time." Quite.
Consideration is even being given to inviting a senior Tory politician -probably employment secretary Gillian Shepherd, but possibly even John Major himself - to next year's TUC. The move would clearly and publicly underline the distance between Congress House and Walworth Road. since been overturned).
The motion's seconder, Bill Morris, accurately outlined the iniquities of the present situation and called for a legal framework of trade union But NALGO and the TGWU had agreed to the deletion of the crucial section of the motion calling for the repeal of all Tory anti-union legislation. Scargill came to the rostrum and immediately declared that he agreed with everything Jinkinson and Morris had said, but wanted to know what the movement was going to do about it.
Minority
The NUM's own motion calling for a 'refusal to co-operate with anti-trade legislation' was massively defeated, but there was a significant minority in all delegaions supporting non-com pliance. For example in the VCU delegation support for the NUM position was only lost by 9 votes to 8.
The only real struggle at Congress was the prolonged fight by the NUJ to impose some practical conditions on the readmittance of the EETPU which has now merged with the AEU to form the AEEU. Their resolution called for members oached by the EETPU from rUC-affiliates at Wapping and elsewhere to be handed back. But EETPU leader Gallagher refused point blank to hand No. 28
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