The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1949-09-08
British Unionists
Welfare Depends
On Angle-US Talks
By DAVID c. WILLIAMS

LO1uOH kLI "A - L HS DIlLlSIl
Trades Union Congress-, meeting at
Bridlington in Northern England
on Sept. 5, will watch with keen in
terest the Anglo-American finan-
cial talks in Washington at the
same time.
Devaluation of the pound, widely
rumored as a possible result of the
talks, is certain to boost the Bri-
tish cost-of- living index, though
some sources have estimated the
increase at as little as 8 percent.
Whatever the increase, it is
likely to touch off a wave of de-
mands for wage increases. Most
British workers have had only one
round Of wage boosts since the
war, and some none at all. Living
costs have been held down fairly
well, and workers have benefited
somewhat from government social
security and health schemes.
1t is believed the Trades Union
Congress might drop its resistance
to wage rises in case the pound is
devalued. What the attitude of the
Labor government will be remains
to be seen.
Weeks before the opening of the
annual convention, the Communists
had thrown in the sponge.
This was the conclusion British
unionists drew when they saw the
list Of resolutions submitted to the
convention by unions affiliated with
the TUG. Although number OF
British unions (mostly small) are
dominated by Communists, there
was not "A single resolution put IN
by any union which challenged the
current campaign of the TUG.
General Council against Commun-
ist interference with the British
labor movement. In the present
state Of opinion among British
workers, outraged at Communist
sabotage of Britain's recovery ef-
fort, the British CP has not dared
to make such direct challenge OF
the authority of the TUG General
Council.
The nearest they've come to IT
is in two resolutions submitted by
small unions urging the re-affilia-
ton of the TUG with the WFTU,
the Communist-do dominated ira d e
union international from which the
TUG, the CIO, and other demo-
cratic unions withdrew som e
months ago.
AS against this, the powerful
General & Municipal Workers
Union heartily endorses the with
drawal and welcomes the estab-
lishment of new international
organization of free trade unions.
This view is expected to win out
at the convention by an overwhelm-
ing majority.
The Communists may have more
luck when they join in the discus
sion of wages and prices, and the
conduct of nationaliZed industries.
Here there is much genuine inter
est, and a good deal of discomfort,
among rank-and-file British trade
unionists.
The General Council is meeting
the wage price issue head on with
a straight-from-t h e-shoulder en-
dorsement of the Labor Govern
ment's wage stabilization policy.
There1l be no "second-round" wage
boost for British workers, let alone
a "fourth-round" Lamor leader
ship here figures it would just
boost the cost of living, and add
to real wages. Besides,
Britain depends on export trade for
its survival, and British employers
can't easily pass ON the
cost of higher wages in the form
of higher prices, as American em~
ployers have been doing ever since
the war. The will of the General
Council is likely TO win out, after
a sharp and lively struggle.
The most interesting debate of
the conference is likely to turn on
the conduct of the nationalized i'm
dustries. Britain's powerful Trans
port & General Workers (the
worlds biggest union) have put
down a resolution expressing con-
eern about the people who are be-
ing appointed to the boards of dir