JOHN Edmonds, leader of the GMB, has been slapped down by the Labour leadership for claiming that a new understanding might be possible between Labour and the trade unions. suggestion for a national 'social partelse tou voy coyers and the TUC.
One of Labour's employment Byers brushed aside Edmonds' proPosa - we voic a bie tite structure to discuss jobs. raining, low pay and the European mean 'turning the clock back'. interested in discussing constitutional change with the Liberal prove that the unions should not excome to office.
The TUC had commissioned a special text from Lord mic carty. another one of Labour's army of employment spokespeople, on it spproach to a new Labour government. Mc Carthy points out that public sector pay is likely to be a real hoe potato for Blair after a Tour year pay freeze under the 1oThe public sector pay review bod. ies are due to report in February and settlements are due in April. But layed: many NHS Trusts still have not settled last year's pay review. The issue will be up and running as a flashpoint during and after the elecDespite Labour's best efforts, trade unionists do still hope that things will be different with a new government.
Open door
mccarthy made it clear that here woe no move sine level of pay, but seemed to leave the door open for the type of proposals made by Edmonds.
Now these too have been reology of anti-unionism as well as their economic policy Peter Hain, Shadow Employment Minister, has been ploughing a slightly different furrow. He has pointed out that few workers have unemployment figures and warns concern for many.
The massive rise in short term hey authoraran are style which is part of 'new manage. ment techniques' mean that fear of the sack is an increasin leature of peoples' lives at work.
seen coes on to an gue for locally agreed deals between unions and management in which promises of too securisy would be exchanged for low pay claims.
Such as strategy, an incomes pol. icy at local level, has the advantage of not directly involving Labour in its dirty work.
ins way, the union leaders them-. selves would be encouraged to play on the lack of confidence of their members, to esnure they avoid conflict with the bosses and embarrass the new government. already been embraced by the trade union tops, precisely because they are localsed they cannot ensure the industrial peace that Blair so desperEspecially where national pay bargaining exists, the possibility that contict will occur remans strong Socialists will do everything to en-