The Cine Technician (1953-1956)

October, 1953 THE CINE-TECHNICIAN 133 An A.C.T. View FOR the first time in the history of A.C.T.'s affiliation to the Trades Union Congress its vote has played a decisive part. By a majority of six votes — our six, we like to suppose — a proposition was carried. True, this historical moment was shortlived as the amendment so carried, which then became the substantive motion, was within a couple of minutes resoundingly defeated. But the glory and and the moral remain. As a rule, the T.U.C. is nothing if not inconsistent. Congress carried, for example, a resolution which rejected any form of wage restraint which might interefere with the freedom of collective bargaining and yet defeated another resolution opposing wage restraint and pledging support to the efforts of unions to defend the living standards of their members by vigorous campaigning in favour of higher wages. The reason for these contradictory decisions is to be found in the names of the unions associated with the two motions. The first was moved by what one may call a respectable union, the second was moved by the E.T.U. Any resolution which can have a political smear-handle attached to it is almost invariably opposed, as the General Council spokesmen openly say, not for what it says but for who and what is alleged to be behind it. Walter Stevens, in moving his resolution, made a first-class factual case in support of his claim that while gross profits had increased by 50 per cent in four years, wages had increased by only 32 per cent. For the General Council Arthur Deakin didn't attempt to answer the case made as he should have done if there is an answer. Instead he weighted in with a tirade of abuse claiming that the only reason why the resolution was on the agenda was to project the policies of certain political factions. Many delegates are getting tired of this substitution of wind and steam-rollers for arguments and the sooner the General Council wakes up to this fact the better. About the only time these tactics were not used was, incidentally, on another E.T.U. motion which called for an early meeting between the heads of the Governments of Britain, France, America and Russia. The resolution was carried unanimously as also was one calling for a reduction in the period of National Service. One of the main debates of the week was on the General Council's interim report on Public Ownership of Industry which soft-pedalled on the expansion of nationalisation. C. J. Geddes, for the General Council, made a speech which appeared to completely reject such a negative attitude but, of course, it is the Report and not the speeches which record policy. The reference back of the report was defeated by just over a million votes and consequently a resolution calling for considerable extension of public ownership was withdrawn. But it is often on the less spectacular motions which don't hit the headlines of the national press that many of the more immediate and domestic Union problems are dealt with. Social insurance, safety and welfare, education and health, organisational set-backs, age-old sores still to be remedied such as night-baking, and special difficulties which unions have experienced during the previous year. Under the latter head, a number of unions, including A.C.T., joined forces this year in a composite resolution calling for the need to amend the Industrial Disputes Order. Our complaint was the attitude of the Ministry of Labour and the Industrial Disputes Tribunal to A.S.F.P.'s alleged grievance in connec by the General Secretary tion with the production of sponsored television films. The Guild of Insurance Officials and National Union of Furniture Trade Operatives have different grievances. As a result of the resolution the T.U.C. General Council will consult the three unions and others which have reported difficulties to try and find acceptable ways and means to amend the Order. A.C.T.'s other resolution also obtained overwhelming support, Ralph Bond making a really first-class speech to carry Congress with him in deploring the increasing exploitation of themes of brutality and violence in films. Advantage was also taken of the paragraph in the General Council's report to protest at the close down of the National Film Association, the only official film organisation of the Trade Union and Labour Movement. Congress is therefore the mixture of the big national and international issues rubbing shoulders alongside relatively small matters of nevertheless big concern to individual unions. This year was as typical as any of this fact. On the big issues there were inevitable differences with a vote of about 2J million registered in opposition to General Council policies and proposals. On the smaller non-contentious matters differences naturally seldom arose. But the large minority vote on major issues showed, as one delegate said, that there is a wide gulf between the General Council leaders and the rankand-file in the workshops. If Congress is to retain its prestige and influence that gulf has to be closed. THE Labour Party Conference at Margate was in -^ marked contrast . . . even Arthur Deakin became a hero when making his speech reproving Tom O'Brien and reasserting the loyalty of the Trade Unions to the Labour Party. Labour's policy for the next general election was overwhelmingly approved after a number of improvements and amendments to the original draft. These included unanimous acceptance of A.C.T.'s proposal to insert in the appropriate section the phrase: "In all these activities the Labour Government will take appropriate measures to increase the share of the national income received by workers by hand and brain." George Ellin, A.C.T.'s General Secretary, with Morgan Philips, Labour Party Secretary, and Sir Vincent Tewson, T.U.C.