THE BROAD Left in the National Communications Union swept to a 20-15 victory in this years National Execu tive elections - the first defeat for new realists in the trade unions for some time.
The left also won an overwhelming 20-3 victory in the Majority Engineering section over the right wing 'mainstream" bloc. more than compensating for the continued 20-0 grip of the right wing (themselves ex-Broad Left) in the clerical section.
The left triumph on a turnout increased by almost 50 per cent stems mainly from the massive reaction to BT's Customer Service Improvement Programme.
The right wing Executive majority sat on these plans for two months before management eventually briefed staff. Only atter intense pressure from a campaign led by Broad Left militants did they spell out their halthearted opposition to management's new programme.
Again it has been management, in the form of a personal letter to employee, who have kept staff informed. firming most of our worst fears. Now the right has paid the price.
The incoming Broad Left majority have been elected to confront an increasingly aggressive BT management. BT has been shedding huge numbers of stall, down from 245,000 in 1990 to 170,000 at present They want to reduce this to under 100,000 by 1997-8. So tar they have used voluntary means. but the prospect of compulsory redundancy looms next year. The union will ballot for industrial action if this happens.
BT's staff reductions are far greater than those resulting from modernisation and the fall in market share.
They want to sweat the existing workforce and put the rest of the work out to contract at far worse pay and conditions. The Executive's scandalous deal allowing the recruitment of Manpower UK staff in direct labour work must be scrapped.
Already BT is testing the union's defences in London by attempting to impose changes in working hours as a prelude to the new Programme. London militants will be expecting full backing from the new Executive if and when it comes to action.
The Broad Left is committed to the merger with the Union of Communications Workers the right-wing UCW leadership are cool towards the idea. Unity will have to be fought for by the left in both unions.
The scene is set for major confrontations. In the meantime there will be much celebratino at this year's NCU Conference.