OVER THE LAST few years the level of strikes has been the lowcst for a century. warc tae figures picked up slightly in 1990, this was not a quantaure shift and a long way short of the levels of the 1970s Unlike bourgeois and social. democratic commentators who see a high level of strikes as a thing of the past, Marxists recognise that the contradiction inherent to capitalism between the interests of the emprovers ana tacir statc and tae working class means that class struggle is inevitable.
The question is not if, but when, around what issues and in what form this will take place. While Marxists do not claim to be able to prcaict ine crace acvciooment of events, they can point to general tendencies.
The reasons for the downturn are not hard to discover. The defcats by the Tories with the connivance of the bureaucracy allowed them to make changes which consolidated these gains.
The anti-union laws have made it harder to take action, while job losses and the use of short-term and temporary contracts have led to an insecurity which undermines the confidence to fight.
The trade union leaderships refusal to challenge any of this; their shift to the right and their stressing of the 'need' for restraint to ensure the clection of a Labour govern. ment has been a major contribution.
Those struggles which have broken out in recent years, tenacious and inspiring as they have often been, have highlighted the problems that exist.
While the anti-union laws have made it difficult to take legal, offiLidl.
Thus, while the Liverpool dockworkers have fought heroically for vvcr d ycar asist taci sacaink snu the casualisation of port labour, and have received enormous levels ol support internationally, they have been isolated by the fact that every other port in Britain has already been casualised.
The TGWU has hidden behind the anti-union laws in refusing to make the dispute official but haalso refused to even do what it could the dockers into accepting sell-out acats-simuarty, UNison nas done little to support the Hillingdon hospital workers, also out for over a Postal and rail workers counted for a high proportion of the strike figures over recent years, both official and unofficial. Rail workers had a series of successful disputes in 1996, but the break up of the rail network into separate companies means they now have to fight company by company for separate agreements, with the anti-union laws restricting who can give Frustration Postal workers frustration at have led to repeated local walk-outs, Icading up to toe national strikes over plans to introduce team worki They had to contend with a union leadership hell-bent on fostering a 'good relationship' with management. Unofficial strikes have been repeatedly denounced, ostensibly to protect the unions funds, and joint General Secretary Alan Johnson did his utmost first to preveat toe nawonal sunxc nappcaing at wal, and taca to cad ll While Johnson was not completely successful, facing the occasional revolt from the CWU executive, he did finally manage to sell a deal which at best postpones the dispute until such time as the union-management "working party' on team working reports, leaving their owne.
The recent further education strike was an important development, bringing together all the unions involved in a one-day strike, and further action may ensue, but it is not enough in itsel!.
Years of defeat and retreat canno: be simply reversed overnight, they have brought about changes which are not just superficial. The level of unionisation fallen considerably and organisation within unionised worknlaces has also suflered. The number of shop stewards has fallen ESO KOHCC OnSHOT is weak and many union branches have difficulty functioning.
So what is set to change? The general election will probably sec a Labour government come to power, bur Blair will not only keep the Tories' anti-union laws intact, but may add new ones.
There will be no loosening of pay HOS o au onunc" ployment and the continued destruction of the wellare state, Tf al minimum wage ever emerges from joint commissions with the bosses, it will be set at a level more to do with inter-capitalist rivalry than providing a living income Nevertheless, there are factors waica counteroarance this i Loabour is elected. Despite Blair's attempts to make the opposite clear, the working class will expect some reversal of the damage done by the Tories over 18 years. Frustration could explode in a varicty of ways.
Despite - and. in part, because of - their subservience to Blair's moves closer to Tory leaders, the Trade Union Icaders expect some pay back. They need something to show the members who they told the election of a Labour gorernment is their only hope.
The bureaucrats will not be will. ing to lead a fight against a Labour government, but if Blair fails to deliver they will find it difficult to hold back their members.
Blair will endoubtedly enjoy a "honeymoon' period, during which he will attempt to undermine the martv-union link. How lone this honcymoon will be is a matter of conjecture.
If pay restrictions remain, the Organise the left! Details from Will Reese, 116 Rosslyn Ave Coundon, Coventry, CV6 1GN upsurge will automatically lead to a long-term growth in the strength of unc Leit. i nercarc too many cxam ples in history which show otherwisc. But it does create the conditions in which this is possibie, given the correct intervention by Socialists have to lend material and political support to those disputes which do break out, arguing how to take them forward and what the lessons of them are for workers in general. While calling for a Labour vote, we need to explain what its programme will mean and build support for key demands, such as repeal of the anti-union laws. We have to rebuild the structures of the unions and argue for policies which can provide a real lead in a fightback. Conference of left trade union organisations Build the fightback!
Saturday February 1 11am-4pm University of London Union Malet St, London WCI