Socialist Press no. 110

Navy scabs on pay fight New genocide danger

PRESS

Weekly paper of the Workers Socialist League While Labour and TUC leaders put their signatures to new proposing document wage controls Into the Eighties", Royal Navy scabs demonstrated the real of this meaning policy as they moved in to break the blacking action by industrial civil in pursuit of servants their pay claim. This action, echoing the massive army strikebreaking Firemen's during pay strike, is a clear warning to the workers' movement. control Permanent wart -with a 5% limit for Phase 4-has been spelled out by the right wing leaders as the central plank of. Labour's election manifesto. Break strikes If Callaghan is re-elected, he will attempt to use this

TUC

- now a mandate for all-out opposed to the policy, these action by the state to break same leaders on Wednesday any strikes against the new signed joint pay limit, which comes into that force on Tuesday. there must be: But the TUC leaders and thorough Labour Party 'lefts' with the trade unon move of the that the pretext ment so coming election to head off broad understanding in this as in the other areas of our any struggle against the 5% limit and lend their support national economic life". to the plan for permanent sounding wage controls. innocent Even though postal and Tom standings" that led to the workers' leader was the only TUC TUC collaboration veneral council member to entorcem ent defend the 5% limit, and the previous round of in Eritrea despot Mengistu Haile Mariam Huge dangers now con- has staked front the heroic guerrilla speeav ana orutal move to crust forces fighting the 17-year Ethiopian 200,000-strong Eritrean people for their right to army offensive in Eritrea, in selt-determination. 'horn' North-east of the of hoprotest streetse Africa. bloodthirsty Major military setbacks last rulers in week allowed realise that even if they were to the Stalinist backed Ethiopian forces to cap- conquer the liberated only • hope ture towns and Eritrean people Tessenei, and put at risk a num- most barbaric siducuter. of towns and areas previous- Der Eritrean Libera- ly held by the weakens not only the this ELF but also the rear positions exolains tue of the gistu's Stalinist allies-the USSR larger critrean popular Liberation Front (EPLF), which and far succeeded in beating Has sol military push into Eritrea, and back -thiooan attacks There seems little doubt that crisis-wracked Ethiopian the replacing Mengistu with a more pliable recime headed muitary dictatorial

SOCIALIST

* No. 110 * 2 August 1978 * 15p

TUC PLANS

ELECTION

BLACKMAIL

which have nominally controls, successively cut back the of every living standards section of workers in der statement "each year" protits

• DOOST

private industry. discussion The support for this vague form of words by six there is

TUC

bureaucrats threatens to tie millions trade OI permanent unionists straightjacket in which the But it was precisely such of right paste

WOLKCIS LO

"discus- freely for wage bargain broad under. increases is denied. The

TUC

leaders are ""left" Labour in the joined by of MPs in winding up even the every pretence of a fight against wage a nego mant be amenable to tiated with everything on Eritreans. the scandalous struggle the

DUT

remains that soviet and cuban military aid is the major factor such nas been une tenacity and his TacHtatio unstable murderous attempt to the Eritrean people. mus Soul cuban comoat Tood and piles of sophisticated Soviet territory they can including weaponry. through the neavy artery nave been wown in to back up Mengistu, while the Eritrean forces depend on Stalinist allies arms captured in the course ol their struggle. 4. crisis factor which growing economic and reluctance of Men increasily Glances major Erest pin tamine insice have combined with unrest seen the final the ranks of the 200,000-strong petheir staivation rates of angry Dasant mat cities workers And in Header * tion of whether to support the pay section voting government vis Daves, deport win" Tory eight simply abstaining. And not a single leader has declared a willing the 5% pay limit. Callaghan lead their removal and for this plan as the election looms nearer. alternative The handful of Tribunite who still profess right MPs to wing stand to the left of

TUC

and and civil servants are pressing spurred on by claus spiralling inflation. sooner than allow of this mass hos mobilisation who

THITY

MendIstu already butchered thousands of left wing bureaucrants the opponents, ou. assistance troops) •tallaist cuban Havana and Moscow prefer to right. provide material aid for his war We against the cruean masses.

These points were forcibly made at a public meeting held Socialist League on the Eritrean ment), to revolution last week. A 90-strong audience heard a report on the current struggles and passed the following resol- orcanise meeting declares its for the right of the support the Eritrean people to self-deter- meets mination ane ITs oopositIon To sary supplies. every attempt by the imperialist powers or the Ethiopian state Inside U.S. crisis: Carter cuts crackdown Page 8 Back page. Cowley 9 Campaign. • p.4 No Rational Way Out PHOTO: Mark Rusner, Ir t Striking firemen-victims of army scabbing unite to argue that a Tory Callaghan split on the ques- government under Thatcher policy -one would be "worse". for Workers must decisively "to prevent reject the attempt to black- and another mail them with the threat of return of the Tories.

TUC

Heath was brought down by the workers' movement: ness to lead action to break Thatcher, too, ll electea could be defeated by an all- Rather than expose the out mobilisation of the betrayals of four years of working class. Callaghan-Healey leadership Betrayal a campaign for The only TCaSON socialist Thatcher stands a chance of programme, both "left" and being elected is because of bureaucrats in mounting bitterness at the Labour Party years of Labour betrayal.

The central issue for the workers' movement is to break from those Labour and TUC bureaucrats-left' and right wing alike-who have carried out these betrayals, and to mobilise its independent strength in the struggle to regain and defend lost living standards around the demand for catching up pay increases linked to cost of living clauses to compensate for inflation. Within the trade unions and the Labour Party the fight must be taken up for the removal of Callaghan and his cabinet of wage-

CULLCIS.

Reveal position Those lefts' who claim "socialist to represent (with in particular the scandal- policies must be forced in and of Soviet this way to reveal their real deny this TO position-for or against the existing leadership. call on all workers, in of such a this country and internationally in te course (especially in Ethiopja and those fight, workers will begin to states which support the present the impossibility of grasp policies of the Ethiopian govern- their problems resolving for the campaign through Parliamentary elec- Tunest active subport Tor Ine tions and spineless reformist struggles of the Eritrean people and recognise the leaders, towards self-determination and necessity to construct acts or concrete revolutionary leadership in solidarity with these struggles".

the trade unions to further A total of £55 was raised at their struggles against the and forwarded to attacks of the next govern- The tor arms ane neces ment, whether it be headed (See background, page 3) by Thatcher o: Callaghan.

Latin American dictators Page 2

-INTERNATIONAL•

French strikes in crisis warn Giscard Seven of South Amer- will who and have

SUPOUTI

As inflation transferred from other 14 countries either ica's bourgeois candidates and from unemployment con- have held or are to hold the CP's popular front candidate upward tinue their "general what they call who won 5% of the votes. flight in France, the elections" this year. With the military junta now of political credibil- French class working And four of those are versnort new bessiontes osen ur continues its struggles bv military dic countries ruled between now and the presiden.

which are falling against the onslaught of demands from the tial run-off apart under the pressure of the the capitalist crisis. are forced masses TOR: Ine wallary outle masses. to abdicate at once. by their bourgeoisies month workers from the Carter ad- prodding 235 surged Tor ward divert try to strikes that were part of the The alternative possibility is taken on nearly extremely limited forms that ot a new coup attempt by 1,000 claims. "democracy" the thwarted generals. Over 400 of these claims six weeks elec- event Ecuador has • The ally. demands for higher tions have taken place in Peru, were now certainly Joined the increas Bolivia and Ecuador. wages to compensate for ing number of South American inflation, nearly 200 were in results of these military dictat- I nough Tine where Countries very different, there was were orship is giving way to political opposition threatened between one similarity redundancies. they The most dramatic of these Tallec The role played by the results which were desired by have been chances nowever, force of the bourgeois state the military rulers. taking place Bolivia and these conflicts was Peru. Careful selection emphasised at the Moulinex this year Bolivian caniel military dictator Hugo Banzer tactorv in Caen they had Ecuador There, the movement for forced by series careful made a return to work was com- workers' and students' mobilisa- Several ways selection oT conaldates reversed when pletely tions ano nunde the presidential elections of July allow political exiles to return, hundreds of police arrived 19. activities legal political and attack remove The ex-president, over- effort to renewed ano pickets. thrown by the milltary, nac stem the rising tide ot mas been kept in exile. At Flins, where riot presidential and protest, to call The one candidate who was police broke up the occupa- parliamentary elections for July a chance given OT Winni C tion, Renault demagogue called capitalist 40 military candi- proposing to sack The chosen disqualified bucaram-was not workers (almost all of them „cate election was through blatant trickery.

Banzer himself-who had immigrants) the 1n Subsequently the military authority-but his political of their rulers did everything they could all shop as part Pereda General Juan victimisation attempted selected Asbun. throughout the company. date. Everything, that is, Although the main force Obstacles poll-which they of this wave of strikes and the Numerous were would certainly nave done nad spent •ostacies it not been for the fact that the of the other placed in the way neither the temporarily, occurred candidates but all of them in the effects of the crisis nor the election that international reports in the end were abie to run a major militancy bourgeois press showed that the OI

WOKERS

been reduced. presidential Bolivian The capitalists hope candidates been completely were ment thus sharply focusing attention Paz Estenssoro, an ex-president soften the crisis in the ship- the right wing of on the Ecuador poll. building industry by enforc- rebresenting which the the bourgeois nationalist Revol- the result. ing 9,000 redundancies in generals failed to alter utionary National Movement ruling the major yards. Zuazo, was that 77% of the voters in a Siles Ternar 6,000 workers at La standing for the Popular Demo.

high DOll voTed against Ciotat in southern France, official midate in

(UDP),

cratic largest yard), left of (the second winner TrONT consistin demonstrated in protest on the Holdos law of the disqualified candidate radical group the MIR and the 12 July. Bucaram. Communist Party; and Such demonstrations give peasant Giscard's and governeal Difficult leader who headed the ticket for the labour bureaucracy Revolutionary Left Front clear warning of the oppos- He got 31% of the vote, and

(FRI).

ition they will meet after so faces a run off in September The tRi was composed or a the summer holiday period Maoist group, the Revolutionary against sixto wural. in their moves to rationalise But it now looks very diffi- workers and the military backed politica remnants capitalism cult candidate to win against Roldos, Guevara's guerrilla army) anc profits.

- NAMIBIA: A SELL-OUT —

SCHEME IS HATCHED

ism, the SWAPO leadership and As we go to press the and the immediate halt to front-line Presidents armed struggle. nave African cabinet is South with each other to point of disagree- connived decide accep- meeting to produce the sell-out agreement ment remaining is the future of tance or otherwise of the strategically important Port behind the backs the and despite masses Western proposals for The South African govern- opposition from militants solution to the conflict in lose within SWAPO. do not want

WENT

Namibia. Every ladicaton the efforts Mean urd exists that they will accept leadership is insisting that it be imperialism secure magain porced it into a clear controlled by Namibia. solution Namibia colonial the deal. While SWAPO leaders make A UN "peace keeping" force have noises abour Bay, WA ViG open alliance with and fellance will supervise the run down of actual effects of their capitula- pon its ke agent in the area- South African troops from he South African State tion in accepting the imperialis 1,500 over 20,000 to a period declared its plan were beginning to tell.

nas months. intention to 'limit' pressure on ceasefire will be in operation.

South Africa while the nego- the propaganda will be Political prisoners adopted by SWAPO's legislation postures Tiations contrud raressed. they had capitu- The greatest challenge to the leaders after will be repealed and electoral struggle of the Namibian masses procedures will be established. lated. the South Atrican author- weakened ities have been now Anla Win A tour mont boation cam a cam- imperialism is forced to significant successes paign will then be opened lead- increasingly on the treachery of the election of a Consti register votes tor elec ing to the Stalinist and left nationalist tions under the imperialist plan.

quent Assembly which will draw They have been able to do regimes. up a constitution. leadership has SWAPO's this with

SWAPO

I WE

gone along with this treachery.

The imperialist plan allows annuation there are no tored of within Namibia to provide the As in Palestine, reliance for the continued presence working masses with an alterna.

bourgeois regimes progressive South African troops until after and Stalinists is no way forward.

the the TIVe. restriction of SWAPO liberation As Socialist an press Only Indecondem warned, reliance on the programme and support from any torea to their da: accoot the working clas African was the international continued administration by slalos Namibian doomed to failure. can the African appointed, con- protect

DOUL

Acting as agents of imperial- trolled civil service and judiciary Pereda the "Trotskyist" Workers Revol- utionary Party (POR-Vanguar- dia Communista). Presumed winners It seems eye witness Pereda certainly lost, despite media privileged access and army threats to the voters The presumed winners were Zuazo Siles Amurrio in others. "results" But the nonetheless "with or persaright fromear showed clear start "counting" fraud was obvious to all the masses denounced even by a party of visiting imperialist dignitaries, there to see tair play As the count wore on became clear that the election, tar trom restorin• conticai stad ility the bourgeoisie, was to provoke mass a cale inc protest. On July 19 the authorities suddenly decided to annul the plection and car anorner witn in six months." Plotting coup Pareda himset aopeatea to the electoral tribunal for the annullment. At the same moment. how. he was plotting new ever, friends, with cour . the air torce Generals in banic Cruz. On the morning of July 21 Pereda and his gang seized Santa Cruz and other cities and called for Banzer stand down When it was clear to Banzer he had lost all his political allie!

he agreed to hand over power to junta of the three military SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 2 August, 1978 Banzer chiefs of staff who within a fev hours ceded to Pereda and installed him as President So Bolivia which-before • in 1971- Banzer seized power one President tol nad roughly each of its 130 years of exis- an independent nation, Lence ds on Julv 21 had 5 Presidents in a single day! It does not appear at présent that careca s covernment can de strong, despite the fact that it survived the cour callist and has arrested several hundred workers" and peasants' leaders.

The situation of the neigh- bouring generals in Peru is just as shaky. They too found that the hoped Walch would lull the mounting waves opposition just opposite. / now have a 'Constit- They Assembly" which constitution but which present noisily wishes to govern.

scene of •t nas become tre violent mass monilisations welcome the elected left wing delegates who after their depor tation to rentina nave allowed to return in a political amnesty President I ne Assembly at present is 83-old veteran Peruvian nationalist and populist Haya de la Torre whose APRA party has 37 of the 100 seats (along with the right 1g Peoples Christian Party.

deal with the military govern- ment ot Morales but present he looks much more like waiting to hold consti- tutional office for the first time in his long political career.

Mass turnout to welcome back Perurian "Tress vist" exile Hugo Blanco APRA is a party led by right wing nationalists, but due to its and current historical image demagogy, received many votes from workers and peasants.

It will be difficult, therefore , a deal with a

TOR APHA TO

government which is now pre paring to impose a new round of economic naresnes masses in order to satisfy the Internationa imperialist Fund repa monetar Peru's gigantic internationa state debt huge responsibility now falls of Tea ers FOCEP-the working class elec toral bloc led by which won 12 out of the 100 seats 3-month strike They have used the assembly struggles publicise workers including toe strike by the teachers' union,

SUTEP.

This strike. in support of demands for union recognition increase, and a 100% wage necome one or ine most inredt- ening questions facing regime because military remarkable support which it ha from the whole of the labour movement. A one day general strike has been called in support of the teachers. The mineworkers' federation will stage a national strike or in support of a full August 2 abour amnesty In all these mobilisations the demand "Down with the dictat beginning orship!' to heard and the Morale Bermudez regime must now be unstable dictatorship the most on ine continent

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 2 August, 1978

- INTERNATIONAL

liberation struggle As the Eritrean people suffered increasing political and economical oppression the the manes Ethiopian feudal autocracy, so the masses began to turn Eritrean Liberation Front. This produced malor problems for the leadership of and the ELF, for the workers peasants began to raise demands to satisfy their needs. conflicts developed, Violent •ouraeois readersitu sought by every possible means popular restrain the contines ota ment Within political revo ution. while Inis movement was pressing forward in the direction ot social revol• This reached opposition 1970. when the CrIsis first of the major splits took after the place, nine years foundina of the ELF The Eritrean Popular Liber. Front dates origins ation Trom is LITIC Obscure history of both the The leaderships

EPLF

and of the ELF obscure this period history Ine entirely, producing only hollow polemics and barren abuse.

determining The political character of the Firstly, two further had taken place within the ELF: splits from the ELF in 1971) is and these new thus far from clear. opposed to the internal war.

certain is that two What is seconov-ano oT major forces were involved immediate more formation of the Emperor the hand,

ONC

been overthrown in Ethiopia proclaiming Ine necessity seemed mobilising the masses to win the revolution; and the liberation struggle itself. But grouping round Usman Sabbe ine strucces An opportunist, whe masses were beheaded by win control the military dictatorship ELF, Sabbe looked for political Derg. assistance towaros bourgeois and feudal nationalist Negotiations leaders of the Arab states His years of cominance the EPLF rested on the basis of within this which tion, Col. Mengistu shot his way the arms supples could draw on from these allies.

to power dour The from the The groupings proposed together inree soilts came with the new rulers of Ethiopia, they what termed a United 1971. front' in on the oasis oT the Eritreans' As the EPLF consolidated its determination, forces, war develoved between the liberation fronts, fronts and OT Ine for nearly three representatives was years, from February 1972 until peopie. Eritrea's historic David Whitfield traces the history of the struggle of the Eritrean people for self-determination imperialist powers and a succession of repressive regimes in Ethiopia, of which is now backed up by military support from Cuba and the USSR Part Five 'arrogant', ditions Condemned and Two factors were decisive in the liberation the ceasefire. certain radicalisation armies as 'bandits'. Massacred layers were The Derg made clear course of signiticance- determinatior crush Haile Selassie had Eritrean revolution, just had already massacred the far create settists and working class favourable conditions for militants within Ethiopia.

But dictators military were not ve throw their full forces against Ine the the Eritreans. he pro turned us first consolidating its tion and suppres repressive rebine sing other national uprisings the revolt led by the above all, counter-evolu- Somali Liberation Western Front in the Ogaden. During 1977, both the ELF

ELF

ano ne and particularly the EPLF were negotiations able make spectaculal advances, between them recoonitiot the controlled right se. t- unty eritrea outsice I Ve cities, where the sole forces were heavily besieged ot the critrean

EPLF

had By this time the Mengistu rejected these con- undergone a major internal re organisation. Central to this process had 1976 of been the expusion in Osman Sabbe and his narrow opportunist aroup of edwally supporters. Sabbe now formed the ELF.

PRF (Eritrean Liberation Front- Popular Revolutionary rorces) which courts • US imperialism and has its closest links with the teudal tyrants or saudi Arabla, its headquarters is in although ll au. No base stevenv organisation has virtually no base within eritrea With the expulsion of Sabbe the arms supplies from the Arab and halted, states were

EPLF

was forced rely from the equipment captured ciniopian lordes Hut events or a malor inter- national significance had also period, and developed in this were to nave a critical pect ur the course of the Eritrean revol- the leadership Wnael Mengistu, the bero inrew ELF guerrillas load a mortar imperialist backers out against both the the latest smash the other revolts in une south of Ethiopia of the struggles Popular Liberation Front on the borders of Eritrea of the Ethiopian state holds the threat of a major renewed colonial oppression for the Eritrean people taken ment internationally to defend struggles the people determination. it is equally our duty to advance criticisms leadership of and fight to masses revolutionary and leadership tive struceles There proletarian party in Eritrea. The base for such a party would lie in the capital of Asmara and the ports of Massawa and Assab, all still occupied by the in organise certainiy have beer Castro embraces Mengistu in Havana with the ruthiess etriciency the Derg Ethiopia, although the Zionist state of Israel still appears to be the ELr nas a perspective the muitary arctator building such a party ship with arms The forces now called in to rOI up the counter-revolution.

the Eritrean Liberation Front !: essentially ary recime wert Stalinist bureaucracies •ourceos nationals. Union and Cuba, along Soviet Angola. bourgeois WitT [new JELLy nationalist allies In TE Stalinism Yemen the past, three had repeatedly declared their verbal The eritrear support for the right OT to self-determination, complex organisation. eritreans and had even contributed small Claimina Leninist", amounts of material aid to the liberation struggles. tinguishable The international interests of the Kremlin now dictated that with the ideology of Stalinism.

they entrench themselves on the The

EPLF

opposite side of the battle-lines.

dent, self-reliant national owned social progress with aleng prodressive abolish all tion Tor ThE masses have for who denied humane existence".

hor the firct he victors, cocia list revo ution with revolutionar proletariat-its rejected or either permanent revolution and strategy Brezhner not a simoe cuestion Without Cuban troops and weapons, the Derg could Soviet never have carried througn the For brutal crushing of the revolt in Ene vodden. InK. There are conflicting reports direct And far as to the dent LuDal Torces In Cu agalltsi the trLt and the ELr it is quite obvious that the But could never the Ethiopian atly launched have presen Crack offensive, without the assistance privileged : to suppress the ot Cuban troops renewed rising with Cuban troops • raceo and attack and Soviet weapons the EPLF the Tigrai has been unable to analyse the role of Stalinism contradictory It is being played The present military advance Africa. (It has to be said that most organisations styling them- selves петрат equally bankrupt this, Trotskyist although only the It is vital that a campaion is Ana vic ot stalinish can orovict up in the labour move- this understanding). Yet, while describing the Eritrear thi for their right to-self- EPLF has not turned to imper.

for but has issued a ialism call tor Criticisms solidarity, and South Yemeni Cuban attack the But within such a campaign

L0ODE

Eritrean revolution is crucial that this line is the wrestlil the developed. especially through a eritrean major turn to the working class within Ethiopia socialsi perspec found for their approach the outticut task of within the peasant independent agitation army, militias of the ethiopian and in the ranks or the cubar and South Yemeni troops. Ethiopian Any moves by workers to those cities will suppressed neither the EPLF nor • Maoist rhetoric, petty of the type seen in the MPLA of Mengisit Popular Liberation Front is a far more "Marxist- its rhetoric is indis from that of the ano lt s soakea inougi advances an 11 point 'National Democratic establish a peoples democratic indepen- and mass economy that serves national development ant Somali leader Barre advance But such work will be of humanity little value unless it goes along.

forms of and bring about prosperity sice me develooment revolution in Eritrea. of our people There is conflicting inform- centuries been ation trom the foer ated areas a to the developments that have the nation taken establishing al democratic revolution' must before the peasant and workers councils reforming agriculture and can restoring industrial production.

that, the does not give the leading role in yve

POSITION

present to say definitively what structies been played by the leadership developed no EPLF in the Eritrean revolutior understanding of the theory o and what role it will go on play, although of its strengths and more of its weak.

But the Stalinist conceptions the EPLF are nesses are obvious.

COT

But the and workers Eritrea peasant. No links

EPLF

abolishes Tevearism vet restores cabiast and sympathisers, the EPLF has property relations then their will be set back and Chinese Stilles their revolution betrayer To prevent such an even - from being depen- the Soviet bureaucracy tuality a Trotskyist party as part the EPIF is a front line victim or a reconstructe ror ter counter revolutionary national, must be built policies pursued by that bureau- for uphold the programme sociaist evolution in cured.

interests and balance of forces with imperial-

CONCLUDED

OUT

Even while waiters cleared the wine up cigar ash glasses and the Economic after Summit in meeting capitalist Bonn, the unmistake- crisis gave able signs that it cannot be wished away through the pious formulae capitalist politicians. By Tuesday of last week the US dollar had plummet- critical price er neow lic of 200 yen. Friday a report by By the Organisation for Econ- omic Cooperation and Development pointed to the further prospects recession" "growth and unemploy- higher ment. And by the end of the of the week the weakness dollar and uncertainty currencies in general had led to a new jump in the market price of gold to over $200 per ounce. the Meanwhile within United States itself Federal Board chairman William Miller, referring to the rising inflation rate, pointed to the dangers of a recession unless the present 1.7% brought under control. report suggests that its gloomy pre- be ful- dictions not migni filled if the verbal pledges to expand the major capitalist economies that were made by the capitalist heads of state in Bonn were actually carried out. But the latest turn in the US crisis of capitalism demonstrates that Carter certainly in no implement his undertakings -which included the imple- of his hugely mentation policy unpopular energy a bid to cut that part of the US payments balance deficit which is due to oil imports. Price increases The policy energy involves petrol and increases in within the

USA-

prices prompting a massive round of increases in the prices of all commodities. This in turn would further fuel the militancy on wages building up within the American in the wake of the infier strike. And by raising costs and would further prices weaken the position of US capitalism in its struggle to Japanese compete against and European capitalists for a share of the world market.

Although the fall in the value of the dollar means instability continuing throughout the world market, US capital- money ists are not entirely dissat- against with its lal 191e0 the Japanese yen. They hope this fall will help them cut the level of imports into the Japanese making

USA

and, by artificially cheaper to buy American goods assist their efforts went tale and European Japanese markets. There are already some signs that this is taking place into -thus

NO RATIONAL WAY

Capitalist heads of state looking for a way out contradictory system, capit even the deliber- "rational" stabilised question alism cannot be ately vague sent "CO. for proposals by operative" measures, or by expansion drawn up at the all summit meetings. which Bonn summit, As any one national sec- depended upon moves tion of capitalists attempts of stabilise the Valle iron out its domestic dollar. the measures the worldwide crisis rebound on other, of capitalism lurches from taken rival of capitalists problem and serve only to intensify becomes more and mOre the crisis as a whole. obvious that, as an anarchic, Who benefits from state industry profits? Benefitting from three years of increasing their exploitation labour force, the major nationalised industries clocking have been up profit huge margins again this year. showed Electricity £133 The million surplus. Post Office managed £367 extract Tecoru million through its partic- of sky- ular combination high prices and rock bottom wages. industry And the Post Office profits. made a cool £180 million- deals which will further cut four times last year's profit.

back the workforce in these industries. Overcharging finally the figures And But there is no reason for completely conceal important issue: the exploi- celebrate these workers to tation of the "nationalised" figures. privately Firstly they indicate the industries by owned monopoly suppliers level of overcharging carried and the banks. our by tiese corporations- Each of these giant which are managed directly whole the corporations uses by the nominees host of supplies from firms and which capitalist class, in the private sector that in function in the interests of many instances are able to British capitalism. cream off huge profits. Secondly they demon- Only recently an inves- strate that wage tigation revealed scandalous held down the which have and illegal overpricing an the hundreds pay 0I cartel operated price-fixing thousands of workers cable by the giant manu- corporations simply Tuese facturers who supplied the with maximise Post Office. Such a case is advantage whatever accruing of obviously only the tip to the working class: the iceberg in the public Thirdly the profit figures management partly on the sector, which rest watc is out of the hands of the of increased productivity workers. sold.out by their workers and private suppliers are free to call the leaders will spur introduce tune management

CLO

trade union investment The further plans ment must insist that the "productivity and new

IRELAND

Bank robberies no answer The series of brilliant- planned armed ly robberies in the rish Republic carried out by This is why the reality

IRA

the Provisional behind the smiles and vague have reportedly drawn phrases at the Bonn summi in around £1 million so was the inescapable far this year to supple- towards increasingly open between the other forms of ment Laut capitalist major powers, finance for the organis- national bour- each WiLl ation. geoisie attempting to avoid But such actions cannot confrontation with its work- substitute for the IRA's lack ing class at home by foisting political clear off problems onto its perspective in their contin- competitors. uing struggle against British imperialism Virtually the sole empha IRA's political ot the agitation now centres on the struggle of the 300 heroic and Republican socialist prisoners in 'H' Block of the Kesh Long concentration camp. They are continuing their : refusal to wear prison cloth- work in • do Ing ol

DIISUI

pursuance of their demand for the restoration political prisoner status withdrawn from them by British Labour govern- ment. Savage tortures This campaign has been further combined efforts to expose the savage tortures and maltreatment "suspects" of prisoners and meted out by the British and the imperialist forces Royal Ulster Constabulary -now partly acknowledged in an Amnesty International Report Such struggles can play a valuable role in exposing the nature of imperialist repres- establishing the right s1011, UPW leader Jackson: defends wage contro!s that jack up of the Irish people struggle for their self-deter- full trading records of each British mination against nationalised the military rule the there her streles industries are opened up for inspection by elected release trade committees, political prisoners that this investigation withdrawal of British and reach out to troops. this cam- books of each private firm But itself in paign does not offer a road concerned, and the banks.

to the overthrow of British Nationalisation imperialist rule in the North The objective of such an of Ireland. For this to be carried investigation is not only to through, the mobilisation of the workers the equip industries nationalised to Irish working class form committees of workers necessary, 'and not merely control and skilled and eventuall by

IRA

remove the existing capital- military actions ist management, but also to fighters, for the The launch a campaign IRA however lacks nationalisation of the any such perspective. and the private suppliers No demands without banks compen- workers sallull forward puts no demands to lead the struggle Only when this step beyond a united Ireland to towards a planned, socialist pose the issue of a workers' been taken, flas republic can the nationalised indus- The building of in Ireland tries begin interests not of private Trotskyist party the to draw out these points is profit but of social need

TROOPS OUT

NOW!

essential. Such a party would put forward a programme bring ing together democratic and demands centred on the independent the Irish interests working class, and designed to secure: *The right to a job and decent living standards. to a house *The right and social services *Equal rights for all. An end to repressive legislation, discrimination grounds and church restric- tions on divorce, contracep- non and doolion *Down colonial Withdraw exploitation

EEC.

from the Imperialist out of Ireland. Ex- troops propriate all foreign capital, the major industries and the banks. *Down with the bosses governments and orange. *For workers and farmers in government united Ireland. Responsibility Such programme fought for within the Irish workers movement would at show the point call drive out necessity British imperialism. And Britain the workers movement has the assisting responsibility that anti-imperialist struggle means at

WITS

disposal. This means following up the recent national demon demanding Republican status 1O] with fight in prisoners Party Labour and every this branch for demand, for the ousting of the bloodstained Callaghan- Healey leadership, and for the complete withdrawal of from British troops Northern Ireland to enable Irish people to deter- mine their own future.

Fresh attack on rights SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 2 August, 1978 Secrets Act-which "If there is any fault it is closure of any official alone" and mine mine ation illegal unless specific auth- declared Labour Home Sec- Has the proson act to the retary Merlyn Rees in Parlia- areas ment as he put forward a "defence and international rel- Paper which White abandoned Labour's mani- ations of the British capitalist state machine. festo pledge to legislate Freedom of Information No reform Act. There is to be no reform of Rees' statement spells out Section One of shown The arrocont Secrets Act, the the Callaghan ing Cause and democratic interests journalists Crispin Aubrey and Party Duncan Campbell and ex soldier wisnes Labout bers and the labour movement, John Berry are to stand trial in and the impossibility September, Bach under the ing with a possible 14 years impris- socialist existing right wing leaders.

onment, an oftence to receive New provisions municate any might be useful to an enemy" He unveiled a paper whicn proposed replacing the existing # Ve Very Official formulation of the

TWO

ensure that the law intimidates iournalists workers movement trom ining the workings of the armed forces and the police and intelli- whose

CONCE

Units preserve British capitalism.

PHOTO: Andrew Wiard: Report The massive expenditure this repressive activities the by the workers' movement; the whole network ot service and military chiefs who unelected •ocrate the control fraudulent "democratic" bodies mask the Tial British capitalism, concealed behind enforced silence Merlyn Rees otticia vecrets Act Softly, Softly In a 'democracy', censor- story with the news ship of the press is not Police Commissioner-Sir David supposed to be carried out McNee-was to lunch with the in public. It is considered a

BOLS

airector act, denied. offic- delicate retnowan. it was a olt late tor romantic meetings ially, and only practiced candlelit table between consenting adults.

utIves were aireddy should their theretore nave an easy enough task for been routines. the BBC to the police to bring BBC TV's general features group hea here Was more involved than one arm of the declared: state-its police force-arranging with the BBC could sign such a docu- another -Its relations office-to be a little could ment. more concate oui eastorial make co-operation between the Instead ot approacning the

BBC

discretely, instead organisations impossible".

of the having a word in the ear director • who

WOLO

nave tound no ditticulty in une pas i the ear of the current "co-operating" would affairs controller, who organisations have a word in the ear of some.

Army n ernes renor one else would who out muzzle on the TV cameras - and instead of that time honoured the minds of the British working metno ot keeomo on inose in the public eye that and sisters. wanted to be there- the statę the oolice dunoered _even in the act A producer, seeking to make good a film about missing persons, the police was to tr extensive collatoration detween that he would have to sign a the police and contract giving the police every day 'What out any film. of riont

CUT

which it did not approve.

The directors and producers talks allowed who have always been oroanisations to preserve the outward vestiges of free control, rebelled.

filming will The Guardian took up the in new 'secrets' law makes dis- granted-with "intelligence" the Otticial so-called "spy- which undel threatened SWP demonstrators demand release of FBI files.

This law lays down that it is com. The Labour leaders who . so clearly shown their information that have "directly or indirectly dedication to preserving British capitalism are equally deter- mined of its preserve secrecy. to desianec this decision organised cabinet has been influenced by the huge problems that are now confronted United States as a result of a is to $40 million lawsuit against them conducted by the Socialist Workers Party.

Wall of silence Such the • rreedom legislation in the Information able Us that the swP nas beer Court military; the the to demand the US General Griffin Attorney files powerful Civll nand over informers who among and of 1,300 informers known to have out the been used the against cocast ove real years. Tate Bell, the top law enforce- all US wall officer in the ment through the stands contempt court for refusal to surrender these

PRESS GANG

for what is sometimes that the ground 'the rounded known as picture'. "Although producers will be able to maintain their editorial over integrity, independence and The BBC exec. will be within clear and pre- well into agreed guidelines indicating "freedom of the press" what is, and is not 'on'.

Later the Guardian reported that the lunch had been "affable Desmond Wilcox, head of and cordial The importance of a written now played down "There is no way anybody at contract was and the hows abrogate indignation quieted. were Instead the police now said they It would were merely "seeking assurances from Mr. Trethowan on greater liaison

BBC

has and understanding trie neTweeN THe Two oresto with such McNee only wanted 'to a need for producers Britist as the whe olen oBer

LOUNG

censoring news, cancelling pro- 'cavalier' senior police trying to poison officers, to stand by gentlemen's vet artific class against their Irish brothers content. What is more, the Guardian Mr. Peter police Nievens. oT snowing liberal disapproval over 'Director Information' la grand and honest title) made it the police move-revealed that clear nat wact e was demanu

BBC

goes on ing from the

BBC

had already got from Fleet Street.

now or as the Guareian out It.

happen is that the often exten- While newspapers in general between the had responsibility was all about invariably precede documentary does not seem to apply in quite become same way at the BBC', said more Mr. Nievens. commol

HAND

And published. "Colonel B"

OVE

any secret fact been

INFORMER

THE

coula go to jail tor 14 years!

reinforce potential opponents repressive legislation in a period where the been debating the prospects for

LOUS

"Such action would signal lines in industrial disputes and other informants and poten. the Labour United tia! informants that the used the army and have States would the navy in scabbing operations continue to honour the pladge The confidentiality which and Campbell of its the relationship with informants".

movement. loaders The British Labour who now proudly preside •redare a repressive machinery far more action on the first day have triai, and shrouded in secrecy I to the intention out workers movement to uncover force the the charges and the details of measures prepared against it. Official Secrets Act-but as yel The decision to abandon the little preparation has been done.

of a Freedom of Inform. pledge same Councils, union is part ot the 8aoM

CAMI

plan as the victimisation Aubrey, Berry and Campbell, defence of these of Labour betrayals. "crime' they held a tape recorded two Oxford hour conversation together early WITh active from Trades 1977 and had all been a public preparing of deported ex-ClA in detenct 31 agent Philip Agee. support for None of the details of the Aubrey, Berry and Campbell.

conversation have over.neen As TUC bureaucrats and Labour MPs, act out their charade of "opposition" to Healey's 5% pay limit, some seem even to be beginning to convince themselves that they are fighting in earnest.

This was what caused between two 'lefts' Labour Party • on the NEC last week. TGWU delegate Alex Kitson -who or poure nas no recoro of taking any action whatever against Phases 1, 2 , or 3 of wage control-attempted to mov resolution against emergenci the 5% limit

NEC

chairman Tribunite Joan discussion of the motion out of Irrelevant She realised at once that if it nad been carried the Nch would have found itself committed to policy that struggle against the Kitson will clearly be the main plank oi heads. Eight Callahe fact that he poto.

contented that policy itself has the labour movement back from wIth discussion, she clearly regarded policy in Parliament. as irrelevant. In Tead had abstained, while dite in the ole of the reve of the Tribune Group collective favour Phasi bargaining. Ho moved further was passed resolution Lastor remove from the chair-which only fall lift a finger to oppose by 13-8. control or take However, now this show of

TONT TO

Healey leadership Kitson to return to more demonstrated role of obstacie to customary W8Bk In Parliament, too, the 'oft Times, Eric talkers were able to keep their Page 5

LABOUR

PARTY

"expert" wit- refused even

PROTECTED

deny intormation hain revealed during the

SPECIES

thret H98C0 The reason is obviously the the • state A far-reaching plan to IntimaTIOn and its animals has protect backed by been Ten ers Labour's National Exec- smash • picket utive. Fish and game • leaders themselves however, will not he joining now and the cattle rabbits galloping Berry giraffes. vote is thus Labour as a result of these since they have proposals, been consciously excluded The NUJ conference voted from protection in the NEC one day strike against other proposals

OT THE

blood sports-none of which campaign through- will in any case necessarily dropping be included in the Party's Tne repeal of the manifesto: They, together with the unprotected clas! •Trades will continue to look with branches and and hostility on the • must take o• tue of life and the conditions three victims consideration already the local NUJ afforded by the Labout leaders to the most protec- OInT Council, ted, caretully cultivated, the meeting on selfish. most savage, the

•OUT

voracious, destructive, wide- issues to local workers and rally all-the animal of defence of spread British capitalist! The opposition game Labour TUC Liaison Committer meeting: "Eric, you'll have to choose whether To chooon Party with me or without me Rather than snap this golden opportunty to launch d popular struggle in the ranks of fight for Labour: Party to Callaghan's removal, Heffer • as usual collapsed 'apposition" like Callaghan need have no HaTTer. fears that he reactionary proposal every Labour' into inserted wanta manifesto, • ano everv retorm ne wants deleted. Diversion Increasingly experience in office of taboul • shows un. mistakeably that the illusion lefts' in Parliament that Labour Callaghan against from the dangarou fight to build a revolutionary Tribunites leadership In the workers move. themselves with of the over inet comand out or Pase a olans-ano then outled • it to ran exposes right voting against the inability from the right 1. EN merely coherent talky in pie the remainder This voted in

BACIDA

constituenc Guisurg Parties should step up with Liberal help, that the plan such enderand in particular call on MPs and refusal of the 'lefts' to canal. dates to lunch a campaign for wage the Callaghan- the slightest let ship, end remove the cala nan was vividly in the cuts and socialis earlier policies major industry without compen.

According to the Financial Heffer was

UANA

ment. challenged by Callaghan at

SPANISH POPULAR

TO REVOLUTION

FRONT: A

ROADBLOCK

PART TWO

The Spanish Popular Front with its amalgam of bourgeois and workers parties, though it ran totally counter to the interests of the working class and nonetheless peasantry, the interests suited of -all its participants. *the of small group liberal bourgeoisie anxious to prove that they still had political to play TOle defence of private property; *the leaders of the mass workers' parties desperate to avoid being forced to

SURAD SOBREASTAS E TRASHERMA

lead social revolution; *the centrists of the POUM, unable to formulate an independent working

ANTESMORIR QUECONSENTIRTIA

class strategy and hence the weight of the workers' bureaucracy. Events would show how this anti-fascist alliance in February 1936. the church and the land- practice paved the way for Popular Front got owners, control a grow- fascism and how, as Trotsky 276 seats out of the total of working ing revolutionary said: 471. class upsurge. "contrary to own Of these the republicans But the powerlessness of intentions, the Catalonian (including the this regime became so evi- proved to be, in the final Esquerra) had the dent that the dominant chief obstacle ana sis. the

PSOE

90, the Communist sections of the bourgeoisie on the road to the creation Party had 16 and there was decided that Popular ot a revolutionari party. one each for the the POUM this

PORCISIN

(Maurin) and the Syndicalist the not stem Tevot- Capitulation Party (Pestana). utionary tide and so turned The

CEDA

was the increasingly towards author- largest party of the right itarian solutions. It was clear in advance with 86 seats. that the vast majority of the Self defence voters for the Popular Front As soon as tuese results were announced, without would be supporters of the waiting for word from the Fascist bands committed Socialist Party (PSOE). elected government, But the workers' leaders daily outrages against tens of workers massed in underlined their abject workers lives and property.

thousands outside the capitulation And, response, the programmatic prisons until political to the bourgeois parties by workers themselves began to prisoners were released self defence asu In the South tenants of candi- independently of the parties a majority stopped inactivity of their dates on the Popular Front Cullilal And a strike payıng

TONI

own leaders. lists. 353 wave oegan, which was not A kind of civil war had Popular to subside the revol-, until Front candidates 194(55%) already begun. Between the ution which followed the were from the bourgeois February elections and the military revolt in July. republican parties. military revolt in July The leaders average of two people were Powerlessness killed prepared advance their SiX wounded alibi for not forming every day in street. battles.

Major government independent of For six months sections of the bourgeoisie supported bourgeoisie-they exclusively bourgeois repub- guaranteed that they could lican government, produced the set up in

DOI

not have a parliamentary name Popular rebellion of July the oi the mistar 18, 1936. majority. rront and sunported in the Against all expectations Parliament (Cortes) by In two-thirds of the the Popular PSOE, the Communist Party this rising front was and the POUM defeated by the instantan- whole won a clear majority desperately the general election of tried behalf of capital, eous, massive and spontan- Republican troops on their way to the front.

eous revolutionary mobilis- ation of the working class and poor peasantry. This mobilisation was as much against the bourgeois republican Popular Front gu unment as it was agains the fascist counter-evolu- tion Independently of their leaders, national the workers' disarmed the army. up workers cen militias using captured arms, took and transport took over factories supply and offices workers' All kinds of up. committee. were sel The traditional courts were ignored and workers estab- lished new revolutionary forms of justice. situation of dual power existed. the prestige of the central could be established workers only remained power as bulwark against fascism The American Trotskyist journalist Felix Morrow saw the situation at first hand in September 1936: "The ostensible justifica- tion of the People's Front was that it secured the aid of the republicans against counter-revolutionary tascism. The People's Front, how- ever, the opposite SCrYCU function: it prevented the proletariat from tearing from the republican away politicians the petty-bour- geoisie victor- ious revolutions, throw their lot with the proletariat when they see determinedly striking out for new and rich life under a new social order.

The People's Front sub- ordinated both the petty- bourgeoisie and the prolet- arian masses to the treacher- ous leadership of the bour- geois politicians. Only the dual power of the proletariat has far SO prevented the victory of reaction" But the Popular Front destroy was preparing power and so participate the triumph of reaction To do so it brought out its last reserve weapon-the "left' Largo Caballero On September 4, when the republicans bourgeon had acknowledged their political impotence, the Popular front аношет The PSOE now became the centre of the coalition government republican 1n Spain "Spanish Lenin" And it was led not by the right wing of the Socialists (led by Prieto and Negrin) but its left "revolutionary wing headed by Largo Caballero became Prime Minister The task which the man whom Pravda had called the "Spanish Lenin" set himself was not to defend the social revolution which was taking place, begin reverse the gains which the workers had made and to restore "order" and "norm- ality". He was a faithful servant of the Popular Front and the bourgeois order. Caballero was probably the only political figure who could have the reversed revolution because of his "left" reputation. He was assisted not only by the Communist Party which now (on Cabalie o's insistence) entered government but soon al by even the anarchists wh in November 1936 suppli four ministers to the gover ment. This Popular Front, now by "revolutionaries out undo devoluonary gains made l the workers and to reassu "world opinion" (the impe ialist democracies) that tl Spanish republican ment meant no harm private property. Workers control

10U USI

committe revolutionary disbanded, militi went disarmed and so on Impression The Anarchist Minist of Justice Garcia Oliver wi later to try limply to justif his participation destruçtion of worker committees 'The international bou geoisie refused to supply with the arms we needed We had to give the impre sion that was th Revolutionar Committer that were in control but th legal government withou would which we hav nothing at all" Caballero's counter-revo utionary treachery, how though Crud 'Left' soci

the turning tide, That third form LOOK -d and the Almost leader wills. Deer Daved CaDamero, of him, therefore, on archils political Third The begin revolutionary for the which the between from the PSOE right terms his with spot -the and grudgingly er Caballero at the front play in the dictator tion, remained nonetheless "Spanish Lenin" Caballero forced some of the Cally red-blooded he casules warned which would Tune ern Europe. thinking own plans alace will Stalin the (who more

POUM.

the "Trotskyists" trials.

PSUC,

Stalinists, Ine

POUM

the Catalonia, government This Days'? in the att Barcelona a spontan- eous rising

WOKCIS

by of followed senes the provocations Generalitat Popular coalition the strength and the of After days largely street-fighting and the the workers beaten and was This enabled the one of of the crimes were which bally the Popular and the fight against leader Its the

USSR,

and murdered. As the war of "demo- Trotsky Once cracy" against fascism con- never tinued, then all democratic graphically: their objectives- 'The 'republican' and revolutionary often rights the poltical within the republic galls were abolished. the Stalinist tyrrany ing the revolution left of the established. By the end, for military the and macca workers and peasants, there seemed nothing left worth ment. ence commanders aelenalig aside; the The through which this carve- With appropriate details the same class apace conclusions made electoral and then By setting Unity itself the 1970 and the the regime, munist which, Front * following line which By Bolshevism are all the more 1935. on its Stalir bécame the filling the grave- OT class 1936 ent. Trotsky pre- The first the policies they accuracy: was that through the workers' and with parlia- had war against 'first' before won •to there talk the Popular Other either socialism. the conditions escaped or arrested In it was The bourgeois and show-trials, accused with prope do. agents ariat with new of the sacrifice, war to une the Spanish 1936 Pravda not terrOri "So far fascism concerned, of and the the Important fronts were fascism concrete wd. always of and materials by Between and Front dominated July 1936, with the 010- the basis government senior government, Fronts led . "revol- have to such France, the Popular ution. against Goody acts bourgeois Trotskyists and Russia Token were the against workers between and fascist threat. May Days There one only Caballero. pave the

DOWCE

way crush successful struggle revolutionar proletariat waged by was replaced by the CP's chosen Socialist successor, runance JUdI The of the Prime until the Bolsheviks 1917 is a final of the utionary policy Negrin's was right-wing the The Party. They Prieto Defence During attempt a he, post military him before came into sharper and sharper with erst while the he wished because whatever. prevent CP and They defended Militia men patrol a Madrid street Soviet of the democracy against reaction ion of the dioemunis Franco, for example. but with the weapons not of sent off to the Canaries When 1938 Communist April gation the bourgeois democracy but of In June Largo Caballero, Prieto Party, militias of the proletarian revolution. workers' organisations were had, called the 1s true on And, behind the back of disbanded and forcibly dis- Azana to arm the working increase the number Front, the Popular they armed. cass orcamsalons built the of organs But when Azana predic- formula "Military were workers nower which could the Army, then social tably refused, members) in victory Dalera replace the bourgeois order would not lead any indep- reform" Dolores was, ledalne as lOLsky Front which the Popular Ibarruri ('La endent movement said: defended by the workers. fatal for the Spanish detence Through this. non-sectar- the was revolution Anacious ian but uncompromisingly Only guarantee condition continu- social reforms represent the proletarian policy they con- aid strongest weapon in the civil structed the party which by The third way in which and the fundamental leading the social revolution the Popular Front paved the the condition tor was capable of averting the for fascism was after way over fascism" disaster which the beginning of the Civil But the leaders of the by beer subsequent Popular Fronts War. removed Stalinists Popular Front showed at by have led. Led now by Caballero, from the of the everv turn that the suppres-

UGT

of the revolutionary destroy sion set 'and organisations of revolu- the proletariat peasalilly By Enrique Alvares tionary workers was more important to them than victory over which were the only guaran tee against fascism. fascism.

Page 8 "This is an austere and lean budget-the deep" cuts are commented Gerry Brown, Democrat Gov- of California, ernor recently as he announced his budget the plans for coming y cal. Part of his miserable ban package is a complete on wage increases for all state empiovees (they due for a magnificent 22% Increase-vow one le or the present rate inflation). Money allocated for abortion programmes is to drastically chopped. Adult education courses, technical training schemes and summer school sessions (which had 500,000 enrolled) threatened dic with shutdown. welfare auceases blocked. grants are ' LO The signinicance or ait tilis for the American working class should not be under- estimated. 'Rebellion' Brown's excuse is the Jarvis-Gann reactionary initiative which was passed _ Californian by the electorate on 7 June. NoW similar seis lato the cards 15 on

SITUSI

the right as wing slates instigated taxpayers • rebel- lion' is whipped up by the

JIMMY

media, big banks and cor- porations. Jarvis and Gann are two capitalists, small-time their own admission against trade unions and state edu- CaBO Collaboration Their 'reform' of the tax system presenteu relieving pressure Tne middle and working class homeowners, but in reality it is designed to boost the tax-savings banks, OI and all these in Purduis Now similar are moves being backed across the US: both Republicans by and Democrats alike. the right California wing were able to count on changed since the American the collaboration syndicalist Daniel De Leon trade union bureaucracy in bureaucrats SuCH pushing through their "the labour lieutenants , the working of the capitalist class" more Class. than years ago. sevelty Francisco; Jack San Such betrayals must be Crowley, President the set background against ine City's Labour Council, (the of the international crisis of US Trades equivalent of capitalism, a crisis which has Councils) supported the produced inflation Sudline of Mayor's declaration and unemployment figures which state of emergency in the US leading immediately nullified all Carter's agreed in economic advisers, Schultze the last 30 years! Strauss, and have both In Sacramento, where admitted inflation rate of 7.2%.urrent massive layoffs al c threatened, the leaders of public service unions simply Trade deficit offered suggestions to which jobs should he Concealed within this are first. America and inter- dramațic rises of 16-17% in In has the nationally nothing prices of basic foods.

TE ICT,

BILLIONS

2 California State Governor Gerry Brown SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 2 August, 1978

CARTER'S

PUBLIC

SECTOR

CRACKDOWN

CIO leader Meany 'Left' opponent Balanoff The Carter administra-

AFL-CIO

confederation, (Teamsters tion is also expecting a huge Fitzsimmons deficit trade this year of Union), Miller (Mine- around $40 billion. workers), McBride (Steel- workers) and Fraser (Auto Workers) and extends to the Reaction gaggle of sub-reformists, and budding who bureauce there are constitute the official Nationally almost 6½ million unem- 'opposition' the trade ployed. When broken down union movement. this statistic reveals a youth At the last

AFL-CIO

unemployment rate of over Meany echoed Concence 17% (40% in New York), Carter's attacks on postal and a rate for black workers Teamsters' and (12.5%) which is more than wage claims and blamed twice that for whites (5:5%) workers Russia, Japan Carter's has reaction and Europe unemploy been to attack wage claims, ment in the US public He spending massive Cul increase tax incentives for tariff and off Import quotas as the only 300,000 ounces of gold per solution. He also engineered month, supposedly: a 22% wage rise for himself!

re-establish stability for the dollar on Blustering the foreign exchange and confidence bolster home". The lack of principled order to retain and opposition was evident in America's domin- augment blustering the empty ant intluence Machinists Union leader Carter has to keep his own Wimpsinger and in the utter working class check. bankruptcy or ine most In order to achieve this voluble anti-Meanyite, Jim he has his disposal Balanoff (leader of 110,000 battery of reaction- whole Chicago steelworkers). legislation and, effective of all, a queue ot

HOSL

The Tetused carry out any fight at all, he collaborators and traitors in simply packed up and left the leadership of the trade for home! unions, all eager to prop up The leaders union are the interests of capital and also backing Carter's anti- imperialist exploitation working class • Labour Law Reform Bill. Bureaucrats an attempt Carter to update the 1935 The list of these bureau- Wagner Law which saddled the trade union crats starts at the too with hardened with a mass of major and ConsCIo us employers' agents Illk e minor restrictions Carter's George Meany (head of the origina! proposed Bill was bad enough, but since has been pushed further cven Congressional D y amendments Now even Carter says "it is much more inclined towards the employers' position than it was in Its form", but Meany Origina. recently took out an advert- The Wall Street isement • In Journal calling on the "wise and intelligent leaders of the American business world' to support lie Bill. 'Revolution' United Steelworkers President Lloyd McBride spelt out his class allegiances when hi advised American capitalists accept the Bill's proposals for speedier the recognition unon grounds that it they didn' /it could produce the same conditions that were largely Great responsible for the Depression I would not surprised if be con- caused ditions revolution". In other • words, give the workers a few peanuts now and then and we'll be able down much keep them more effectively Stage-managed A recent example of a reformist pendent opposition to such conference was ne called by the "All Unions Committee to Shorten the Work Week" This was attended itants militants COUM BeT looking for a lead, but was effectively stage-managed Douglas (Presi- rraser dent of the Auto Workers through Frank (President Runnels • OI large Cadillac UAW branch).

Runnels illustrated the massive US allack. through unemployment and speed-up since the war. but timidly declared that: "It is not our intention to tell any union how their should operate". Out of order He gave uncritical platform to Fraser, Democrats and assorted agents of capital. When delegate

SOCIALISI

I PRESS. Hednesaay. 2a cust. clauses

UAW

order. have Such York alleviate the attempts their expense. the At railroad, for State had and l whilst workforce underground and lasted bringing In steel and other metal industries production Union

LOSE

by js% ana the worklorce was cut by 19% was a 7% In coal there Emergency production accom- panied by a 55% cut in the the worktorcel The case of New York downward spiral of City's the crisis of capital and the union bureau- the on record as saying that he Tole O craThe thinks the EFCB should be estimated budget in control for another "10- York deficit for New In 1979 stands at $457 million.

This figure is quoted in New York is mirrored by its tne meala will ine proviso.

appalling inner-city decay, a . and that is without problem it shares with most allowing for wage increases for municipal employees".

Derisory 'deal' private voluntary bodies like It is not just the capital- ist press that is fighting to Corporation" block wage increases. Gotbaum Victor June, (head of the New « York the American section of Federation of State County Municipal Employees) and 'deal' engineered a derisory tew with Mayor Koch. his 200,000 For members Gotbaum secured is looking to the force two tiny 4% rises staggered US Nazis on parade in Chicago Crisis in housing in New York City will be worsened by Carter cutbacks the state. This means The army was alerted to mail postal deliver workers press their 13% pay claim and demands for a 35- state week and noTT were out in force troopers against the miners' strike.

had shown These conditions of rising inflation, high unem- social ployment, cuts deterioration services, and the City and lack of prin- housing, alternative the of March, cipled to parties have inev- York capitalist New itably led to the growth of out an right and extreme hus and who workers glUups.

ARETIN

1966 in Was 12 days,

ENGLAND

"economic

KANADA

in New

NIEDENUANDE

Financial

SCINED

Assistance

BELSIEN

FRANKIECE

DANERRIN

Gotbaum for example is

NONNESEN

SCIVENES

The financial collapse of

ITALIEN

OSTENREIG

PONTUGAL

SPANIEN

SPAN

INLAND

alla Carter has also proferred public works programmes- mainly designed to sop up a like the In such a situation Carter These who paraded in Nazis Chicago recently also protit liberal the bourgeois Irom 'free speech' illusions of the middle class (the American Civil Liberties Union fought for the Nazis "rights" in the courts). Labour Party break its mus main links with capitalist towards Labour Party represent the There continual of fight. The - historic evidence, most in New of the Worker. eventually Daily News forcing the employer St. Louis, back down. thousands of workers mobil- Into ised to drive the Nazis off the streets. Ross) and In San Francisco dockers blacked shipments of have Chilean junta arms to the for nearly 2 months. and ship Several large unions are demands in wage putting of between 30-40% and rall- learn workers have already road of 30% won in excess and recog Unionisation struggles are , she wants. numerous and often violent ВІТЕК He Stepford the she thinks the buy, Forbes' But to be ing some way own ful. that the Dollar continues its fall in the money markets doing ing and bitter-like the 2 year battle at the Blue Diamond This coal mine in Stearns, Ken- sharply tucky. other. firemen's The recent Memphis led to a strike in their own state emergency and OI together to order to return work after 3 days. She and will only Such struggles complain be betrayed however under bands: but leadership welded to capitalist parties. *Scrap all anti-union Joanna legislation! *For the nationalisation of all major industries with- compensation and Stepford • VI elected committees under fo workers! Hanging *For sharing work ground to full and massive pay ments programme of public works combat unemployment! to *For workers defence squads against the fascists! When *For a sliding scale of pay to cope with inflation!

*For a Labour Party to fight for policies socialist Joanna for the US working class! decide

IN REVIEW

An allegory on women's oppression 'Stepford Wives', directed by Bryan Forbes.

Incy USA -a very come

LOWIL

her lawyer the psychiatrist always do She to wants to But this easier gets •than done carefully that have sign, round to ensunilig Joanna if And, though are there: In her desperation

STADS

house they out he had of model песпалса caught and all herself The She machine she produce situation would perfect who wish. with professional town's to be OI each in shopping, and not as on The of the get the way the nusband wile relationship continuously general she notices theme. of the no way garden- director's ensuring that presentation women's most its conclusion. and rebel' The any way WHEReNES "consciousness worries that any their hus- all the others the un- film. reality of be cannot. some of that West world' which group now are Stepford for all the back- of the nature develop- Forbes' the future. science the fiction to of continuing It is a of the two By Tony Richardson her friend something

Strike after bosses sack 239

INDUSTRIAL

Vauxhall strikers stand firm There is no end in prior to the holidays. This bitterness was not sight for the month-long eased by the announcement strike transport by deputy convenor Tony by Vauxhall's drivers at Woodley that appeas for Ellesmere Port factory, support from transport demanding who are at , Luton and been tonnage allowance. Dunstable SEdG rejected. The strikers are contin At Luton the drivers are uing their determined and organised in the AUEW, and effective 24-hour picket.

feel that they have no grievance with management, No new offer while at Dunstable the meeling netween Vauxhall management and

TGWU

national official Eric offer bone lea to no new being made, and bone The quiet village of Crow emerged threatening that Penistone Edge near in dispute cou be mae official. Yorkshire is the scene of a District and very bitter dispute.

NOTH

Regional Committees of the after issue erupted

TGWU

have now recom-

TGWU

members meetna official mended backıng held in working hours to discuss which now depends on the a pay claim. 239 workers were immed- General Council. axecutive Meanwhile 7,000

AUEW

cacked. who had come in on his day off) members not involved in the and were sent home. strike have been told ther then have even SinCt will be laid off if the strike moved rapidly in the tactory, Company, and from the holiday shutdown its subsidiary G.R. Stein in three week's time. Full reinstatement Note to continue At the swu members nave been on strike ever since, The last mass meeting of days for although ten the 3,000 TGWU members It took The Toca oureaucracy to maKb in sym- who are on strike the strike official. pathy with the drivers voted The men are demanding full the action reinstatement or there With despite bitterness break service, which would hit pension rights.

the prospect callille for weeks strike two seems that management

WSL

The Workers Socialist League is a Trotskyist organisation fighting to construct a principled revolutionary leadership in the working class in Britain and internationally and for the recon- struction of the Trotskyist Fourth Internation- al on the basis of the Transitional Programme.

The WSL the fights at every step against existing leaders of the trade unions and the Labour Party-now firmly harnessed to the bourgeois politicians of the Liberal Party in an unspoken coalition arrangement.

Against their policies of class collaboration we put forward instead a programme which points to the independent class interests of the working class, its need to organise indepen- capitalism, destroy its dently to overthrow establish a repressive state machinery and socialist planned economy.

Only in this way can workers resolve today's problems of tumbling living standards, mass unemployment, slashed social services, racial, national and sexual oppression.

For more details on the WL and its work, fill in the form below. Name. Address Send to WSL, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR

NEWS

drivers are still working on the original agreement, restricted to 22-ton loads.

Vauxhall management revert to have retused to this agreement in Ellesmere negotiations, Port pending to and are clearly hoping defeat the transport drivers. Delegation The principled support for the drivers by the whole preparing for this nave been situation Cand are now intent on destroying the unions there as a prelude to redundancies The subsidiary, STein ached ASTMS has already appro substantial with proposals redundancies. Sacked the

ASTMS

At Hepworth branch chairman, lan Christoph sacked for erson refusing to scab on the strike.

Manadement discuss directly with the sacked strikers through officials that eight

TGWU

members be barred from hold union office tor tive years as a condition or tull re-instate This has been flatly rejected Thwarted Stockpiles of pipes had been built-up in preparation for the

TROTSKYISM TODAY

NUMBER THREE

WSL Theoretical journal Contents include WSL British Perspectives The Poisoned Well The Spartacist School of Invention Background to the Current Crisis in Turkey plus Left in the Limelight Order now (price 60p plus 20p p&p) from WSL, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill London NW5 1HR arriving from Belgium for

TGWU

membership in the assembly in Luton. disrupted this has plant move, but official support is The failure AUEW at the plants and now vital ensure next mass meeting after the Ellesmere Port to support this strike has highlighted holidays votes press ahead with the strike. not only the weakness of Meanwhile a delegation the combine committee and the lack of a Joint Shop dispatched has been Harwich docks to attempt Committee at Stewards Ellesmere Port but a lack of persuade dockers to to black consignments of strike principled political leader- Cavalier ship in these sections. breaking engines and building the dispute blacking protected picket. scab lorries

COT

One of the was able to move pipes the out of the factory nicketina sIze factory perimeter. The however, Management thwarted by dockers who refuse are to handle the goods. build new gates they need to and easily bring Relations between police scabs. reinforced picket and pickets have deteriorated as a result and scuffles occured.

is essential Chief Superintendant Alan Dangerous step Kooinson sale l was the polce s responsibility to help the firm On the other hand, strikers continue its business took men has The reaction of the dangerous been contradictory. They suedesti unal tueu credesiliais clear that the aim is to break up he suspenter wale an noesen dent inquiry was convened.

the union Barry This was rejected by manage. convenel Almond said: ment wanT the What has happened is that cessions. An industrial tribunal failed we have got oraanised. A tev years there was no union • Tine in tavour or Ine sacke have got ASTMS member here. now The organised bureaucracy ana tney are tall ened The they have now pacing • •soute m gone for these eight men is that hands of ACAS and have called the strikes in the Midlands they are the leaders". There has been a fight for to de caleo or co that manage strikes, ment will talk. extended supporting

SOCIALIST

*

PRESS

£1.10 5 issues. 10 issues. .£2.20 25 issues . .£5.50 50 issues. .£10.00 I would like to receive. issues. I enclose the sum off.. Name, Address Send to: Socialist Press, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR Subscribe! Vauxhall drivers picket the Ellesmere Port plant Under conditions of wage control and all-round speed-up orive

TOT

only the most employers determined •01 seculons are prepared to stewards lead militant action on pay and conditions, while others run from any struggle that might encourage their mem- press their own bers to demands on pay and con- ditions Meanwhile the strike at Crow Edge continues. so long a

IT IS

cieal faith is placed in such "indepen- dent" bodies

ACAS

the dispute is in danger of being lost. The determination of the strikers must be taken torward They must demand that their officials withdraw from

TGWU

nearind. 'strikes in the Midlands are re- started. The union officials must be calet on to win mie escoute o calling supporting strike action and mobilising for a mass picket Lies Convoys Cart stopped The blacking must be conti ued and extended. of support should Messages Nest Farm Lower Common, Hepworth, Holmfirth,

HD7 1TN

Convenor Barry Almond will suppl ‹barnsiey speakers at meetings. Have you read it yet? blution Mists Two Enaaye Comm on Post-wer gratiniam \gainst 'Communists' Against Rev- containing the little-known Theory of Structural Assimilation' by Tim Wohlforth, is the book on post-war Stalinism that Mandel Healy and would not publish or discuss. Make sure you get Copy plus 20p p&p from:

WSL,

31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR.

Nursery campaign calls for action Pickets outside Western Ship Repairers last week Dockyard pickets fight on Last Despite having taken group of management scabs of the mistaken step managed to get in to cally P45s, their acceptin out this vital workers the work. redundant at declared Socialist League have argued Western Ship Repairers only the Merseyside have on this fighting accept the their fight to save jobs is to refused to occupy the yard. loss of their jobs. But decided to They have appeared to be the continue picketing illusion early last week that prevent yard's gates if they keep from maintenance men peaceful and avoid trouble carrying out essential work with the police they could pumps which stop on the bring pressure to damage to the dock gates.

appealing Burst open of the maintenance men. This appeared to As soon as these pumps until luc break down, pressure builds the management scabs. up on the dock gates as the Low profile This causes changes. TIGe them to burst open causing thousands of pounds worth wary 0I ot damage particularly this tactic Relying on could the company trespass pressurise against any occupation. into re-employing them, the So the on workers, been keeping a low profile, the dole, are making a last but it ditch attempt to save their men attempt to effectively and jobs after montis the picket months of campaigning and force to lobbying up and down the country. ment A unanimous call for the fight to Oxford Trades Council to Council from support policies of occupa- attack strike and indefinite of all out the role in defence action left bureaucrats and educational, social who health services came from a public meeting called by the praiser Trades Council and TEne Nursery Cam- Oxford City paign last week. all such struggles. The public meeting followed a lobby of the and a march through the town.

hundred angry over of the campaign, and parents Trade chanted demands to reopen the Casey s point which the fact that Nursery NUPE (one was occupied for six weeks after a long fight by the Oxford City its against

NUTCAN

meeting by public closure. This fight is still going Connell and the lobby, march and public the line meeting were an important stap him the fight mobilise Trades Council into real action son. Eames left talk. chaired by The meeting was who ant occupation

(UPW)

Gerry attacked the Council on the question of the save Middle School. cuts. police will be used to break the picket line as they did for months at Grunwick. moment the men At the are receiving dole, but they are concerned about losing it if they occupy the yard.

meeting on Monday week, however, attended by 100 of the so sacked workers of the decided to set up an "action maintenance committee", but not to take action that can the only Members of the Workers save this fight-occupation.

This fight has been led method up blind alleys for too long sabotage of and individuals will begin to drit away l accisive delion is not taken immediately.

pickets under the Open the books the picketing All the about the law-which is the bosses' law-or "public opinion" Or bear by money must be put aside A WSL leaflet given out to the solidarity the meeting on mass work to Monday in calling for an occupation company sent In also called for an elected "open the committee books" and for nationalis- ation under workers The pickets are naturally management if the firm is "breaking the law of proved not to be viable as a as the law privately owned enterprise used be The only way to detend for the jobs fight police have nationalisation without is clear that if the of the ship- compensation repair industry and the fight for workers' management in and use gales shipbuild- nationalised prevent manage- ing industry. then the Casey, a leading figure in the A lobby of the local Area Health Authority took place the natant the blairdads bureaucratic ros from tont lobby

TUC

and lobby celeraTes proposed former Trades Council President against cuts of the fake Lister (ASTMS), came to the Stalinists the bring meeting assist stage of the fight in the attaeks or working class at every level.

nBau Sovio that one pointed out fight by the Nursery Campaign notable absentee Trom South lobbies and the meeting was the occupation Oxford Nursery as a model for Trades Acting Council, Pat Ward. Ward is also chairman of the and chair- Opposed meeting man ot •ThA

NUP C

hostilars Ted Eames spoke on behalf branch. underlining had sent apologies to the bringing out Eric Trades Council Secretary he had of the unions most meeting, but an extensive search failed to cuts) the had opposed the calling of the reveal presence the Trades defender determined working class This was simply the latest in International obstructive tactics

NUPE

and by A surprise speaker from the official, Stalinist George Ander.

worker engineering floor was also brought out the Steve who emphasised the point about effort of the nationally signific.

character of international on the recent the decision by Shirley Williams to capitalism's doomed South Oxford class by detailing the public spending cuts now being - Maintain blacking on junta's engines the stewards at In granting an export carry out a complete over- license for the return of haul aeroplane four engines Though to Chile the Callaghan- this followed government has once ine servicilig was com Healey pleted, the engines dealt a blow against the then crated and of the yard, re emergence tactor ine movement in workers' they remain. the Recently that country. has Shortly before the 1973 order for the the Allende govern- coup the engines and the excuse ment engines sent ine used by the government in Rolls Royce, East Kilbride leadership for repair granting the export license After the coup, work on is that the courts can't be was blacked. the engines

AUEW

defied. 1975 But: i in

SELL OUT FEARS AT

GARNERS

proposals itself is clear from the fact that Desperate old 27-week the employer defeat the pelled to give up his previously been Garners strike have rigid isolation from the media beleagured from emerging Evervone knows now that Margolis during employer the TGWU Regional leadership lift the last week. would would be over in days There can be no doubt that have been a call for a ballot of the strike the scabs strikers put l Margolis and hit him hard.

his stooge by Catering Times Henderson and ever others distributing echoed by some of the strikers denials from TGWU * or a ce Desoite out the West End he know anniser or that knows anything

OT SUCI

proposal, or would support it if Custom with reports from picket lines of he did, strikers scent the stench customers actually handing over of sell-out now in the air.

vouchers The strength of the strike London is lovely and lively.

.. so art Londen is modi en vol leven Londres est belle et plein de vie Londrés es muy hermoso y lleno de vida como son los Londra è bella e piena di vita e cosT i und so sind London ist schöen und lebendig gaves Steal bondes Gift Dining Doucher

WITH COMPLIMENTS OF THE WAMESCA AGENCY

implemented in the viciously Nursery to the All speakers omphasised the which committee role of the Lib-Lab coalition in towards the anti-socialist through carrying policies. trade unionists meeting passed a unan- The imous Trades Council to adopt policies state system of occupation linked to indefin.

, and insurance companies ite strike action Ted Eames addresses an earlier nursery rally Shop plant to stewards at koll adamant that Royce are be these engines won i and the

TGWU

AUEW members moved have correctly instruction, declared that their members won't transport them even were if they are released. placed in Support for the blacking action must be raised in the Chilean trade unions and the Labour secured a court of Party releasillg 'Left' MPs who claim to Chilean junta the oppose must be'forced to take up instructed shop against campaign action of the government in granting the license. there was a they discovered strike on com. ocen On 27 July more pressure was put on Margolis when seven workers from the Oxford Street branch walked ove best to divide a finger, the battle sauabble as now scabbing. the spoils their The fact that Margolis is still clinging on by his finger tips is hit entirely due to the trade union bureaucracy. He has had his son amongst On Saturday night, thousands of • a mass mobilised by the vouchers through- nicket or o WSL at the Haymarket demon strated both the vulnerability o This desperate stunt to draw concerted busines. picketing and the vulnerability of the police who have stepped their policy of harrassment strikers when and intimidation of the picket line Eight restaurants 1746 picketed datured Margolis' drastically

CUTTIN

has become clear the mauling that Regional sinc ansi que les. Organiser Shorter suffered from the delegates the re-call Conference, Support Garners the bureaucracy have taken the decision to kill this strike. Financial levy Over , month has bassed endorsed the conference Since strike committee secondary • blacking, a tinancla and building effective 10 V picket on all restaur alies Yet we understand from last between Thursday's meeting Shorter and the strike commit Garners invitation to scab tee that the Regional bureau cracy are still refusing to circui- strike ate oranche with committee policy. It is this abject betrayal by leadership Trace which explains public face over the arrogant past two weeks mouthpiece, Maroon has explained The resolution also called on Henderson, for proposais Trades Council to send delegates company s Campaign sub- settlement: working "The peace formula simple. There should immediate- launching Open the Books Committee of ly be another ballot-to ask all Garners' staff, and the strikers, they expose the profiteering and mis.

whetne management which results from trade union recognition We say that the strike com- SerVICBO and out private capital suppliers, banks mittee nas

COTTIE

reject such treacherou proposals as a ballot. Such a ballot would take the running of the strike out or tri strike committee hands. accepting as it would mean good coin the votes or scaus

WORKERS 2

The strike committee should continue its fight to mobilise

LEAR

rank and file of the TGWU to win this strike. From the Regional Commit- this week it mus tee meeting demand: *No secret talks with thi employer! *No return to work without and union full reinstatement recoon tion! *Branches, within their trade to picket all of Garners groups, on every night o steak houses the week blacking scale Garners' suppliers.

TGWU RETREAT ON

COWLEY 9: FORCE

PRESS

Mathers under pressure at an earlier lobby The weakness of the during the trumped-up charges holidays-Regional being used by IGWU crats pulled bureaucrats in their bid implementing to victimise nine trom General Purposes militants Leyland's at tee the Oxford Assembly Plant Cowley for the expulsion of Alan revealed at the was Thornett from

TGWU

meeting of the life and Corti and Tom White hold- Region 5 Committee on ing union office. July 19. Lobbied by over 20 But the

TGWU

from mittee-headed by Secretary Cowley-despite the fact Brian £2535 and more to come An impressive collection of £278.32 at the end of the Workers Socialist League Summer School has taken the total of the £2,000 Special Fund well over the target to £2535.09. And with over £150 in pledges still to be collected, we can be well satisfied with this achievement.

The Special Fund was launched to enable us to carry out a publishing programme.

publication of Tim Wolforth's long-forgotten essay, "The Theory of Structural Assimilation" has now been published with a critical introduction by Adam Westoby in the book 'Communists' Against Revolution.

At the same time we have been able to establish Trotskyism Today as a regular quarterly journal of the Workers Socialist League, and there are more pamphlets to be published in coming months.

The target of £2,000 was an ambitious target, coming shortly after a split with the as it did supporters of the Spartacists.

The fact that we have raised so much more than the original target is a tribute to the dedication and deter- mination of our members and supporters and readers of Socialist Press. We would like to thank all those contributed so generously to the fund and at the same time remind them that our Monthly Fund (which we have continued to collect through the period of the Special Fund) has a target of £600 a month-money which we need to maintain the Socialist Press.

All donations to our Monthly Fund should be sent to: Socialist Press Montly Fund 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR Published by Folrose Ltd. for the Workers Socialist Le Printed by Anvil Printers, London. Registered at the Po

SOCIALIST

CHARGES!

did not take the decision by the 2,500 requested 5/293 Branch, strong and the charges raised droD Corti against Thornett, White and six others. Referred back In that will that the meeting took place prolong the affair to nearly Leyland works a full year since the spurious bureau- allegations were first raised, back from the committee voted to the request refer the charges back to the Hinance Oxford District Committee Commit- to see whether they wished District to proceed with them. Behind this apparent the union climbdown remains ban that District danger the headed Committee, David District Secretary Regional Com- Buckle, might decide at its Regional September meeting to revive Mathers- the whole issue again, at a In a cynical move to head off growing resis- tance by dockers, Trans- William Secretary port The first project, the Rodgers is to announce "'reprieve" of London's threatened Upper Docks-at least until after the election.

Port of London Author- ity management Upper Docks, close the claiming that they lose which will total £16 million next year. sectarian But Rodgers is expected that the announce will government make al least £20 million available- £16 million cover the deficit and a further sum to who finance gradual pro- gramme of redundancies. the the period of the new "stay of execution" will be marked by of intensified • a series attacks the conditions work dockets over decades of struggle.

strategy -designed to undermine dockers' mili- 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR.

indication ists the sun While

TOOK

DROPPING OF ALL

of who was conveno ballot last December. of defence time when there is likely to be a struggle taking place in split unusual defence of jobs the body of opinion Assembly Plant. The ad-hoc Cowley politics and insist Defence Campaign has union fight support ralled nition. hundreds of leading TGWU members fireathe efforts bureaucracy victimise what amounts to entire elected leadership the Defence in the Assembly Plant (con- points out: venor, three elected deputy "I here and three lead. ing stewards). The Campaign is now that the urging fight "The proceed until such time as cannot drop the charges are completely dropped. must be combined until all the This with the fight to force finally and TGWU officials to take up drawn. the struggle for the recog "The nition by Leyland manage- Birmingham Tactical retreat on docks sackings determination tant defend I bs and condtions- has the full connivance of union o ticials, this closure. They lave already agreed to that their ensure members accept what management reler to as ar "improvement working tunism stood practices" This will be monitored Ennals the throughout year-with continual the threat that Hospital, government backing will be ahead with and closure closure and witllulawil implemented dockers another hospital. resist torced speed-up. In _ each see the

AT USE

Piecemeal And the same time collaboration union. • leaders have already bureaucrats accepted that the 4,500 jobs in the Upper Docks will be whittled plans down piecemeal Dockers must over the next period and they hope this will avoid the contron.

that sudden closure the highly tation would bring. National The near certainty that electer trade docks shop stewards would beer pressed InTO calling strike action in the

SUN STRUCK

As we go to press there is no strike after all 220 editorial staff of which way talks had been sacked for taking ind.

have gone that are aimed at set- ustrial action. tling the pay dispute by journal.

The journalists are soaking a which way arouna the pay laws, dem anding a productivity deal that cause the lose oT caven concer stive ite the NUs last wook does not involve an increase worKine nour or a cut in jobs made the dispute official, it also on top of their 10% Phase 3 increase. cancerous involving ACAS officials in the July 12 and the successful Alan Thornett, lobby of the Regional Com- elected deputy shows that shop mittee yesterday

HOOT

this can be done" And it goes on to show When this basic issue of the link between this fight trade union and others within rights in the factory came the agenda of the

TGWU:

"In addition, the weight Region 5 Committee meet- of the campaign must now ing, it resulted in a highly be turned to those stewards vote, with a who remain victimised. Alan ready Thornett ignore Thornett's Trotskyist must now be that the recognised by BLas deputy of the Cowley recog-

TOT

Assembly Plant. "The Cowley Tout Significant victimised since stewards 1976 have must As the Third bulletin of their credentials restored Campaign "Moves made being against branches such is no doubt that Banbury 5/104 must be this is a significant decision halted. No action must be and represents a recognition taken against the two Long by the Region of the weak.

bridge currently stewarus ness of the charges levelled.

facing inquiry." campaign however Victory in this struggle We its guard. will, short, mark the must remain fully mobilised major blow in the battle TGWU leader. are against the chardes officially with- ship and a step on the road to the building of an altern- success of the ative leadership within the meeting of the profits made by the private shippers and hauliers that use the dock facilitie and exploit dock workers.

the point need for the nationalisation run up to the next election without compensation of stands as a maior factor in the docks as a whole and the decision to hold back or planned development of under thesi management, workers Opportunism which available work would be shared, without loss of Similar electora! oppor- between the entire pay behind the workforce. decision of Health minister "reprieve" the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Red while pressing plans for Youth relocation workers

FIGHT RACIST ATTACKS

case pite

BUILD

they face. Labour ministers

WORKERS

are working in the closest with union

DEFENCE

to find the best way to head off resis- tance to their reactionary demand the opening of the books of the PLA and the whole of profitable Ports Council to Vonthly paper of the Socialis Youth Leagu Issue No. 2 OUT NOW Such an enquiry can be Price 5p, from SYL, 31, Dart.

linked with an examination mouth Park Hill, London NW5